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'Rent' actors provide voices on soundtrack

November 23, 2005

Fans of "Rent" will not be disappointed.

All but two of the original lead characters are back for the movie version, so most of the voices will be familiar to longtime fans of the 9-year-old original Broadway soundtrack. It stays true to the original music, too.

The double-disc soundtrack has all the favorite songs from the Broadway musical along with several part Bs and bonus tracks. There are two versions of the soundtrack available — a single disc called "Rent-Highlights From the Original 2005 Motion Picture Soundtrack" and a double that has every song included in the movie plus additional tracks.

The music is enjoyable and not as cheesy as most musicals' soundtracks. As someone who isn't a fan of musicals and hasn't even seen more than a couple, I thought the soundtrack was good and might even give it more than one listen. The only song I was turned off to was "Light My Candle," only because of the over the top lines and cheese factor, but that's to be expected with any musical.

Since I hadn't heard any of the songs from the musical or seen it prior to the movie soundtrack, I don't have a basis for comparison. However, from what I have heard, all the songs remain the same for the movie, most voices included.

It's clear that each of the songs include plenty of emotion and soul, part of what makes the soundtrack great. A big surprise for me was that Rosario Dawson can sing and sing well. Her voice is sweet with a sense of warmth.

Every song is well polished, and the lyrics are easy to sing along to, perfect for the diehard fans. Most of the lyrics are heartfelt and meaningful, obviously still the same from the original mid-'90s production.

Overall, the soundtrack is a great addition to the movie for those fans who just can't get enough after leaving the movie theater. There's plenty of music here to satisfy everyone — even the bonus tracks are good.

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