Sometimes, a movie doesn’t need explosive plot twists or grand revelations to leave a mark; it just needs honesty. Rent Free, an indie comedy-drama from director Fernando Andrés, does exactly that. Set against the backdrop of Austin, Texas, the film takes a raw, episodic look at friendship, identity, and what it means to survive your twenties when the system isn’t built for you.
Plot That Wanders—Like Its Characters
Ben and Jordan are best friends trying to figure life out, one couch at a time. After a failed move to New York thanks to an impulsive mistake by Ben, they’re left broke and back in their hometown with nowhere to stay. Their solution? Spend a full year living “rent-free” by crashing at friends’, family’s, and sometimes strangers’ homes.
It’s a shaky plan, and the film embraces that instability. Each stop along their journey comes with its own baggage: unresolved tension, awkward reunions, emotional blowups. It’s a plot that doesn’t build in a straight line, but rather drifts like its protagonists, from one soft landing to the next emotional cliff.
A Friendship That Feels Real
What gives Rent Free its emotional weight is the bond between Ben and Jordan. Jacob Roberts plays Ben as the unpredictable, free-spirited one, a guy who jokes through his own chaos but quietly aches for something deeper. David Treviño’s Jordan is more measured, more cautious, but no less lost. Together, they feel like two halves of a friendship that’s both comforting and, at times, frustrating.
Their chemistry doesn’t rely on flashy moments or dramatic confessions. It’s in the way they share silence, in the eye-rolls, in the support that feels reluctant but unconditional. You don’t just watch their friendship, you believe it.
Themes That Hit Home for Gen Z
At first glance, Rent Free is about two guys avoiding rent. But underneath that, it taps into a very real anxiety felt by a generation drowning in debt, side gigs, and a never-ending search for stability. The film doesn’t preach, it simply observes. The constant moving, the makeshift meals, the awkward money talks, it’s painfully familiar.
There’s also a refreshing honesty in how the film handles sexuality. Ben is openly gay and unapologetically messy. Jordan, on the other hand, begins to confront feelings he’s never explored. Their dynamic avoids clichés, giving space to both confusion and clarity without judgment.
The Indie Feel—And Why It Works
If you’re a fan of that loose, naturalistic style, think early Richard Linklater Rent Free is right up your alley. The film doesn’t try to tidy up its narrative, and that’s what makes it feel honest. Scenes play out like real life: awkward, slow-burning, sometimes unresolved. There’s a rawness in the way it’s shot too, nothing overly stylized, just grounded and intimate.
One standout device is how each new living situation is introduced with a title card showing the rent, square footage, and address. It’s funny at first, but over time, it becomes a subtle jab at how absurd and unaffordable basic living has become.
Performances That Carry the Film
Jacob Roberts is a breakout. As Ben, he manages to be reckless, annoying, hilarious, and heartbreakingly sincere all in the same breath. Treviño gives Jordan a slow-burn arc, showing the gradual unraveling of someone who thought they had it all together. The two together carry the film with a kind of quiet brilliance that makes even the smallest scenes feel significant.
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Final Thoughts
Rent Free isn’t flashy, and it doesn’t try to be. It’s a film that embraces discomfort and lets its characters sit in the mess. It might not be for everyone; some viewers may find its pacing too loose or its structure too scattered. But for anyone who’s ever floated in that in-between space post-college, pre-figured it out, this film will feel oddly familiar.
It’s not just about avoiding rent. It’s about navigating life when everything costs too much, including the emotional toll of growing up.
Writer – Subham Choudhary