"Rent Control" (also known as "Aunt Agatha's Apartment") had a troubled release history. It was shot in late 2001 before 9/11 and then shelved for not finding a distribution channel; when a distribution company picked it up they edited it to make it sellable to ABC Family Movie, who aired it. It was later released on DVD in late 2006. The problem is that "Rent Control" isn't a family movie. It's an adult comedy. Yes, it has the lovable Melissa Joan Hart and an overall lighthearted, fun vibe and, no, it doesn't have any cussing, but it does include some adult scenes. For instance, one woman a young couple (Hart & Ryan Browning) seek to rent an apartment from is a sadomasochist. But the biggest non-family issue is the presence of a necrophiliac janitor in Aunt Agatha's apartment building.
You heard me right, a freakin' necrophiliac! There's a scene where the janitor in question puts a "Do Not Disturb" sign on his door and it's just puke-inducingly SICK to consider what was going to occur in that apartment. No doubt it was an attempt at black humor, but it failed.
Yet that's a very small part of the story, which entails Hart & Browning trying to find an affordable apartment in NYC. They're temporarily staying in Aunt Agatha's quarters and, when she unexpectedly dies, they try to hide the fact from the weird landlord.
Melissa is her usually cute, winsome self and she's perfectly contrasted by the worldly Carmen Electra, who may or may not come between Hart & Browning. Andrew Kavovit also has a significant role as an elevator man infatuated with Electra; and Joseph Reitman effectively plays the weirdo super.
FINAL WORD: Despite the failed attempt at black humor noted above, "Rent Control" is a very amusing situational comedy intended for adults and older teens with an excellent cast & characters. From the get-go it's clear that the movie's a farce and not to be taken seriously; as another reviewer points out, it's not "Based on a True Story." Anyone who takes it seriously needs to visit the psych ward. In any event, "Rent Control" is highly entertaining and that's the bottom line.
The film runs 95 minutes.
GRADE: B+
