Maybe people could provide more than a one-liner or so, please? It'd help to understand the different viewpoints.
I've never seen the stage show but I did listen to the whole soundtrack prior. I thoroughly enjoyed it. My friends have told me great things about Rent since way back, and I went to watch it tonight. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The music was nothing I wasn't expecting but the cast was good and I could definitely see where some things MUST have come from the stage layout. The cast was cool, and I was surprised at how well Jesse L. Martin (from "Law & Order" as far as I'm concerned) and Taye Diggs played out. Idena Menzel (playing Maureen) reminded me of Nelly Furtado, oddly enough only with a way stronger voice. I do like how the songs were treated this time, as a part of the action rather than separately like "Chicago." I did find it weird though that whenever a song broke out though it was like the people in the background going, "Oh look! A show has broken out!"
The pacing was brisk, and I noted that a lot was cut out (not unexpected for a musical-> movie translation) but in no way is that a criticism. It made sense to cut things out, and it didn't feel like too much was lost (except for some humanizing that Benny received on stage in the material that was cut). Rosario Dawson didn't look like she stuck out too much, being one of the two not from the Broadway cast ("Joanne" being the other.) I enjoyed it though, and it was a great way to spend an evening with The Lady.