Factual error: The movie is supposed to take place in and around New York City. However, during the car chase where Angelina and Brad are fighting off the three BMWs, a wide shot shows a street sign announcing Los Angeles.
Factual error: Denham is obviously shooting a sound film - he has a sound recordist with him along with the bulky and awkward recording equipment typical for the era, and they discuss the problems of recording dialogue on board. But not once do we see him filming with sound. We see the crew recording dialogue - synchronised sound, recorded on location, which is utterly impossible given the equipment they have and the circumstances under which the fim is being shot. We never see a microphone, a boom pole or a tape recorder. His camera isn't even 'blimped' - soundproofed - and it's handcranked, which makes a racket. They can't be planning on adding the sound later - why have the sound recordist and his bulky and heavy equipment there with them if they are? We see the crew recording dialogue - synchronised sound, recorded on location, which is utterly impossible given the equipment they have and the circumstances under which the fim is being shot. The whole point of post dubbing dialogue is that you don't need a sound recordist in the first place.
Factual error: There is a brief shot of a couple driving through the streets near Eatonville, Florida. In the background a mountain is visible. There are no mountains in Florida.
Factual error: When Debra Messing and Dermot Mulroney 1st arrive in London Debra goes to a pub to change her outfit, the shot showing the outside of the pub you can see an American style traffic lights eg walk, don't walk which are nothing like the English green man red man traffic lights.
Factual error: A very common error in First World War films. British soldiers were not permitted to shave their upper lips until 1916 - in 1914 almost all (unless physically unable to grow them) would have had moustaches.
Factual error: The frozen treats used at certain points in this movie are labeled with nutrition labels found in the U.S. today. The labels looked extremely different in the 70's.
Factual error: In the opening day clips, they show 49, Tim Wakefield, starting. The starting pitcher that day was 38 Curt Schilling (Wakefield never played that day). Furthermore, the clips show them playing against the Texas Rangers; opening day 2004 was against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Suggested correction: Not Curt Schilling, Bronson Arroyo started the home opener against Toronto in 2004.
Factual error: One of Angel's lyrics (in "Today For You, Tomorrow For Me) refers to the movie "Thelma and Louise." Rent (the movie) is set in 1989-90. "Thelma and Louise" was released in 1991. This was caused when they did the move from Broadway to the screen. The stage show did not specify the year. So when they adapted the stage show to the movie, they didn't check the references. Plus it just sounds cool. (00:28:25)
Factual error: Near the end of the movie a fire accidentally starts in the center of the ballroom. It activates a fire sprinkler but every other sprinkler also activates. Fire sprinklers are activated by heat so only the one(s) nearest the fire would have activated.
Factual error: The registration plate of the white Jaguar refers to a year 2003 registration. This is impossible as this particular model Jaguar ceased production a long time ago, and could never have that plate.
Factual error: When Cal and Dave are playing videogames and coming up with different ways to tell whether or not they're each gay, Cal is using a Nintendo 64 controller. The version of Mortal Kombat that they're playing could only be for Playstation 2, Nintendo Gamecube, or Xbox.
Factual error: The geographical context of the film is wrong. Riverton, Wyoming (as the name implies) is in a fertile agricultural river valley. The surrounding country is uncultivated desert. There is none of the extensive grasslands shown in the film. Moreover, even in the 1960s Riverton, which is a county seat and market center, was much more substantial than the film implies.
Factual error: In Bridget's scrimmage scene she dribbles the ball all the way down the field to score a goal. However, the defenders of the other team were running away from her. In a real soccer game of that level the defenders would have been all over Bridget.
Factual error: When a young Steve Mills is struggling for conversation topics with Lisa in 1962, he comments that her black eye makes her look like the Tareyton commercial. However, those "I'd rather fight than switch" ads weren't aired until late 1964.
Factual error: Towards the beginning of the film, the Cashes receive a notice about their rent. It's the 1950's and the address has a ZIP code. ZIP codes were not introduced until 1963.
Factual error: Holly put a flame up next to a fire sprinkler in an out-of-the-way location, causing the sprinkler to activate. Every fire sprinkler in the building then went off too. This is not possible. Each sprinkler is self-contained and is individually activated by heat. Only sprinklers directly affected by heat will activate.
Factual error: When Hatsumomo wakes up late to torture little Chiyo again, her kimono is closed the wrong way.
Factual error: There are a couple of references throughout the movie to Ralph Fiennes' character as an "American diplomat" "of the League of Nations". The United States was not a member of the League, so there were no "American diplomats", as such, working for the League.
Factual error: In the scene transitioning to the Christmas holidays, a shot of Central Park is shown with Christo and Jeanne-Claude's The Gates, Central Park, New York City, 1979-2005 in the park. However, this display was unfurled on February 12, 2005, after the holidays were over.
Factual error: Without getting into the physics of the whole thing, there is no way a shotgun, and especially a shotgun with the kind of shells they were using, could knock a full grown man down like that. At worst he would be bruised from the re-coil, or the weapon would fly out of his hand, depending on how he was holding it at the time he fired.