Further proof that you can’t afford to live anywhere anymore is the right-on-target LGBTQ+ indie marvel Rent Free, directed by Fernando Andres and written by Andres and Tyler Rugh. After literally blowing his chance to live in New York City, Ben (Jacob Roberts) has to move back to Austin with his tail tucked between his legs.
He assumes he will be able to stay with his best friend Jordan (David Trevino), who went with him to NYC to drop him off. However, Jordan’s girlfriend Anna (Molly Edelman) is already pissed that she has to pay Jordan’s part of the rent while he and his buddy are gallivanting around.
Anna decides that instead of renewing the lease for them, she is going to need a break, leaving him flat on his a*s. Jordan hasn’t worked steadily since 2020, picking up photography gigs here and there. Ben used to be a promising writer, but hasn’t done anything since graduating University of Texas.
A tense moment unfolds as friends share a conversation in a cramped bedroom in Rent Free.
“…couch surf for a year…not pay rent and save up enough money to finally move to New York City…”
They both are able to get a spare room at a friend’s house in Hyde Park while a roommate is out of town, but that won’t last. One night, while tripping balls on Molly, they come to a revelation as to what they need to do.
If they just couch surf for a year, staying with friend after friend until they get kicked out, they can not pay rent and save up enough money to finally move to New York City for real. With such an iron-clad plan, what could go wrong? Welcome to Austin, m**********r.
As a former resident who lived there in the 90s, I can attest that we failed to keep Austin weird. My wife and I stopped at a food truck there a few years ago in West Campus, and the proprietor mentioned it had been ages since he saw anyone with tattoos.
"… captures the high wire drama of impossible rents perfectly."
