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When any popular work is adapted for the screen—whether it’s a book or a Broadway musical—fans always experience mixed emotions: excitement to see a beloved story come to theaters and fear that it just won’t live up to their expectations. And the film adaptation of Dear Evan Hansen is definitely dividing fans of the musical.
Dear Evan Hansen follows an awkward teenager who wrestles with social anxiety as he begins his senior year. Despite his therapist’s assignment to write himself letters filled with affirmations, nothing really goes as Evan (Ben Platt) hopes. When his letter is stolen by fellow outsider Connor (Colton Ryan), Evan fears that Connor will use it to humiliate him. But Connor commits suicide—and his family mistakenly sees the note as a revelation that Connor actually had a friend. And instead of admitting the truth, Evan concocts a story of friendship with his classmate.
As Evan’s story continues to branch out into fake emails and fake memories of afternoons with his misunderstood bestie, it’s impossible to turn back. Because of this fake friendship, not only does Evan become less of an outcast, but he’s also taken in by Connor’s family—making him feel less alone. And Connor’s family gets to believe that Connor wasn’t just a troubled kid who hated everyone and everything. But despite all of the good that Evan’s fictional message does for kids who are struggling in silence, it’s only a matter of time before it all comes crashing down. And, really, it takes even less time for the film to fall apart—to lose the audience’s interest. The message may be powerful, but the storytelling is all so messy, so awkward, so off-balance, that it fails to come across in a truly meaningful way.
At the same time, the controversy over Ben Platt’s casting is understandable. There’s no doubt that he knows the role of Evan; after all, he’s been playing the character on stage since he was practically a teenager himself. But he’s not a teenager anymore. And despite his obvious knowledge of the role and the music, it’s definitely difficult to imagine this star (who looks even older than he actually is) as a struggling teenager. And, admittedly, that can be a pretty serious distraction.
Deep down, Dear Evan Hansen is a well-intentioned film about everyone’s need to know that we’re not alone—that someone else is dealing with the same things that we are, that someone out there cares about us. At times, its emotional message shines through—but, more often than not, it gets lost along the way.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
