Alan Lubliner

Andrew Garfield displays a powerful voice, complemented by the voices of Joshua Henry, Vanessa Hudgens, Joshua Henry, Robin de Jesus and Alexandra Shipp, in a moving combination presentation of Jonathan Larson's Tick Tick Boom (the musical that preceded Rent) and the story of and a tribute to Larson. Jam-packed with Broadway star cameos, particularly in a drool-inducing Sunday (Brunch) number (drooling over the stars, not the food) that also is a reminder of and tribute to the late Moondance Diner on lower 6th Avenue. Lin-Manuel Miranda's direction cuts between scenes of Garfield, as Larson, narrating the story while playing the piano in a theater/club with Henry and Hudgens and band, and the scenes from Larson's life and Tick Tick Boom play. While it's not completely clear what is original Larson play and what is this movie's context around the play -- the movie starts and ends with scenes of Rent -- that doesn't detract from enjoyment of the film. And the scenes of New York make the city still another major star in the film.

Tedious. Joaquin Phoenix practices the posture and body gestures that he later will use again in The Joker. Amy Adams is enigmatic and somewhat icily interesting to watch. Although its Phoenix’s and Philip Seymour Hoffman’s movie, lots of other great cast members dot the story. Much of it makes no sense, but it lacks the flair of raining frogs.