
Ben and Jordan, close friends, decide to take advantage of friends, family, and strangers in an effort to not have to pay rent for a year after experiencing some difficult emotional and economic struggles across the city of Austin.
Once again, Fernando Andres never fails to create a lasting effect on the onlookers of the film industry as he received the Director’s Award with Tyler Rugh for Their film which was named The Three-Headed Beast. Over the past two years, so much has changed In Andres’s projection and with his performance in ‘Rent Free’, Andres has made sure to leave a mark once again as he focused on the absence of political depiction in Rent Free. Now let’s be honest here, the film industry today is brimming with a multitude of diverse genres, each more vibrant than the next which makes it hard to choose a film that best resonates with the reality of today’s political landscape, which is why Andres always manages to wow the audience every time they get a glimpse of his imaginative talent. The vision and pressure on the filmmaking might have restricted and blurred out the focus from politics but not for Andres and Rugh as they worked tirelessly and combined they complete the picture.
As I indulge myself in cinema each day, I get an opportunity to think deeply about how diverse art can be and what it means in a philosophical and creative sense. Almost every movie brings up contemporary thoughts and feelings, and that is not bad either. The reasoning is fair enough too; the world is indeed chaotic and the issues within it definitely need sorting out. However, I can understand why ‘Aurora’ sees it as an “Escape.” After all, who really does not appreciate fiction that is set in an idyllic time? But even then, there exists a wide array of films that explain perfectly well how and why the setting is always dystopian. One of the many examples is E. Hemingway’s ’Harry Street.’ While I do understand why Street made such decisions, in the grand scheme of things I do think the movie poorly approached adapting the book. The movie and book exist within a universe that is fundamentally broken and through its lens depicts a world that is painfully flawed, to say the least.
As one lives one’s life, worries are normal which is an unfortunate fact of life that everyone in the world must accept. There are many types of problems that can arise, but it is safe to say that most individuals have at some point been disturbed by problems regarding finances. The same is the case with Ben (Jacob Roberts) and Jordan (David Treviño). Ben and Jordan, a childhood friend of his, have spent their early 30s days together and this friendship is only expected to grow. As for Jordan, he has recently dumped all of his belongings and is prepared to enter the New York era while Ben is on the verge of starting a new contract that will take him out of the city. As the dear one that he is, Jordan supports Ben in traveling to New York to say goodbye and see the city with his friends for a while. And as they already know, yes, New York is quite a costly place to reside in.
Andrés is not one to sugarcoat things, and neither does he shy away from addressing the couple’s monthly rent as he very boldly places this address in the center of the screen Rent Free in large block letters. Rent-free development gets off the ground very easily in terms of specific aspects of its development such as its composition, number, and the bathrooms available. One tends to get terrified by this number while constantly in search of cheap rent by moving out of the boroughs that he has lived in all his life. This figure was the single biggest reason why one had to pack their bags and move most of the time, especially when the entire ordeal was simply to find a good location to stay. Naturally, life in New York has most of these nasty surprises to offer and many tend to make the rent aspect the heart of their complaints. The astronomical prices can be both exhilarating and petrifying for most, especially in the month of summer. But either way, the city has plenty of entertainment to offer. (I’m sorry, but this is not my point of view). This is why we get to witness free of charge Ben and Jordan Building who are completely broke – being forced to experience everything New York offers.
Rent Free stands in stark contrast to the serene vibe of Three Headed Beast but makes one wonder what makes it different. Ben and Jordan come up with absurd thinking out of what it is like to be a 20-something in this era!
A fresh turn of events as they lose the intended houses along with their friends. Which, with the help of one of them coming up with goofy and drunken arguments, serves as the basis for the ideas these two come up with. It is much better understood as a strategy; like they even referred to it, a real-time social experiment in the commerce field. But considering the situation, it is settled that, starting this year, the two roommates will not have to pay rent until the end of the year. These roommates seem to have a whole lot of friends in Austin. In the near future, they will spend their savings and, of course, during such a period of change, they will enjoy their wonderful friends. What is the worst that could possibly happen? Ironically, a lot.
At first glance, it looks like the City of Austin is the only film location used for the movie. But in reality, a city may comprise a variety of apartments or houses, and even their rent costs may be comparable only among themselves. Hence, the narrative necessitates them to have a range of scenarios throughout the plot. It is pertinent that these characters have to deal with a range of situations, either through their ridiculous actions and mistakes or through how their hosts treat them. This is, in a nutshell, a situational comedy but one that interacts with most of its fans as a soft critique of capitalism while also serving as a soft touch of criticism about life standards for the younger generation. I must say, one such trip made me look forward to traveling to the city of Austin after I dissected its architecture and urban design. It is a place where I am hoping to go back to I can safely say that I was able to sever my sense of curiosity there.
Nonetheless, concerning the other residents who have resided there for a long time, I was able to comprehend that Austin appears to be undergoing a transformation. Such changes, or as he puts it ‘the 360 of the culture’ are something that even Andrés has lived through within the kaleidoscopic culture of Austin.
Rent Free raises eyebrows as it provides a refreshing critique of the development in Austin. The influx of big tech companies resulted in a drastic increase in the cost of living. It is an age-old narrative of American capitalism, where there is a narrative of cities getting overpriced and firing losing the magic that they once possessed. This is not to say there is anything wrong with living in Austin or New York but for those who are from these cities, there is a clear contrast. The real question is what about us young people who are still trying to break into the working world? It is not particularly rewarding to be chasing down doors looking for a position or even trying to break into the industry (which is what Rent Free does quite humorously). This app culture that focuses primarily on interaction leaves much to be desired, and any sense of enjoyment is entirely absent (which Rent Free also mocks).
As more and more individuals opt for ‘roommates,’ the systems of buildings, apartments, and renting are changing. This situation directly recalls the term Rent free. The needs and meaning behind the word ‘place’ are altering on a yearly basis. When this issue is theoretical throughout the movie, it does not look like Ben and Jordan will find an answer to resolve it. It’s nice to see oneself on a story screen when it seems false. Because it may be a bit mean, but reassuring to see oneself exposed. Ben and Jordan are Ben and Shem’s complex emotions and intricate visions about their characters. One of the greatest cinematic philosophers, Wallace Shawn, delivers a critical lecture In My Dinner with Andre, I was talking to Andre and he said, In Paris, I was much eastern, $ 100,000 minimum adjusted so much money, you don’t have time to think about anything else. All these are some of the lesser-known pieces of wisdom about life. At its core, the Rent Free project remains uncompromisingly realistic with Andrey and Rugh’s screenplay, yet still manages to add humor to them.
Ben and when Jordan is a set of two characters that are portrayed as complete and utter maniacs as a part of this film at least from the initial perspective. They are hilarious to watch as they completely make a mess of the event on multiple rounds, and I guess this is the central aspect of Rent Free. In this Universe and also in life, it is fair to assume that once or twice this will happen to all of us. There is no way out. The faster one accepts that fact, the better and quicker it is to get over the slip in any case. And more often than not, a slip is all it is. What seems to be an enormous and unrelenting challenge is simply a scraped knee in one’s life. In this film, there are bots that are prone to making errors just like Ben and Jordan. And yes, some of the consequences of the actions taken have to be endured. But more importantly, they resolve each other’s shortcomings.
And it is this kind of love that only good friends can offer: blunt or downright rude at times. But after all these years of being in the friends zone sometimes, that jagged edge is what’s needed to enhance the emotions. That is how every detail of the incidents can be recalled on the next day at breakfast, but more importantly, how they compel you to change your practices. There is almost a preparedness in Andres that suggests he knows his role for Rent Free he knows we all are still grappling with it. Out of that process, we reveal ourselves, our friends, our reality, and even our shadows. What is quite remarkable is how Andres guides the audience through these thought processes, providing context to the people who are living it firsthand. In whatever aspect of young adult life that Andres wants the next camera to focus on, he will do it considering how to approach the topic with sincerity.
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