I wish they had kept that line.
Well, Rent was enjoyable. For some reason, I didn't have as big of a problem with the recitative being turned into dialog as I did with POTO. Maybe my Phantom experience prepared me for the shock.
I really don't feel like I can evaluate the movie on its own merits, it's too wrapped up in other Rent-themed materials in my head. I've had the movie soundtrack for a while, so wasn't surprised by the song changes. Wait, they didn't sing the new song, I just realized. What's the purpose of it, if it wasn't even in the movie? Is it on the radio? hmm. Anyway, none of the cinematography was so fantastic that I can say that the material truly benefitted from becoming a movie, but I did enjoy it.
The biggest surprise, for me, was Rosario Dawson's performance. She was much better than I expected her to be.