▁of ▁court . ▁The ▁terms ▁of ▁the ▁settlement ▁were ▁not ▁dis closed . ▁ ▁Syn opsis ▁ ▁Act ▁I ▁ ▁On ▁Christmas ▁E ve ▁in ▁Manh attan ' s ▁East ▁Village , ▁two ▁ro omm ates — Mark , ▁a ▁film maker , ▁and ▁Roger , ▁a ▁rock ▁music ian — stru gg le ▁to ▁stay ▁warm ▁and ▁produce ▁their ▁art ▁(" T une ▁Up ▁# 1 "). ▁Mark ' s ▁mother ▁leaves ▁him ▁a ▁vo ic email ▁wish ing ▁him ▁a ▁mer ry ▁Christmas ▁and ▁trying ▁to ▁comfort ▁him ▁since ▁his ▁ex - g irl friend ▁Ma ure en ▁dump ed ▁him ▁(" V o ice ▁Mail ▁# 1 "). ▁Their ▁friend ▁Tom ▁Collins , ▁a ▁gay ▁an arch ist ▁professor ▁of ▁computer - age ▁philosophy ▁at ▁New ▁York ▁University , ▁calls ▁and ▁plans ▁to ▁surprise ▁them ▁at ▁their ▁a partment , ▁but ▁is ▁m ug ged ▁before ▁entering . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁Mark ▁and ▁Roger ' s ▁former ▁ro omm ate ▁and ▁friend ▁Ben ny , ▁who ▁has ▁since ▁become ▁their ▁har sh ▁new ▁land l ord , ▁has ▁ren eg ed ▁on ▁an ▁earlier ▁agreement ▁and ▁now ▁dem ands ▁last ▁year ' s ▁rent , ▁before ▁shut ting ▁down ▁their ▁elect rical ▁power ▁(" T une ▁Up ▁# 2 "). ▁However , ▁Mark ▁and ▁Roger ▁re bel ▁and ▁resolve ▁not ▁to ▁pay ▁the ▁rent ▁they ▁cannot ▁pay ▁and ▁which ▁they ▁were ▁promised ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁a ▁problem ▁(" R ent "). ▁Meanwhile , ▁Angel , ▁a ▁cross -