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Dear Evan Hansen is an original Broadway musical with music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. The 2021 film adaptation stars Ben Platt, reprising his role as the original Broadway Evan Hansen. Platt is the only cast member to star from the original musical. Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Kaitlyn Dever and Danny Pino are other notable castmates.  

The film follows the same story as the stage version; socially anxious Evan Hansen has his life completely shifted when a letter turns into the final words from Connor Murphy, a classmate who finds Evan’s note and ends up committing suicide. With the note found in Murphy’s pocket addressed “Dear Evan Hansen,” Hansen is deemed by Murphy’s family as his best and only friend. Now Hansen must navigate his twisted web of lies as he works through wanting to honor Murphy’s memory and becoming emotionally involved with his family.   

The movie starts off fast, immediately throwing the viewer into the story with the song “Waving Through a Window.” This is a sharp contrast to the opening stage version and threw me off as a viewer. It gives hardly any time for the audience to be introduced or establish any background on the characters. This is the movie’s weak point; unfamiliar audience members will be lost throughout various moments and find it conflicting to establish the basic story.   

Most notably criticized among the public is 28-year-old Platt, starring as 17-year-old Hansen. In a film dependent on replicating the high school atmosphere, it is obvious that Platt stands out in the wrong way against a background of high school aged actors. His theatre experience is also evident in comparison with his fellow actors and comes across too harsh. Platt’s facial expressions felt forced in comparison with the more natural reactions of his co-stars. Even though the original is nothing without Platt, I believe a younger actor would have been more suitable for the big screen. Those like Benjamin Levi Ross and Andrew Barth Feldman are considerably younger actors who have starred as Evan on Broadway and provide an age-appropriate perspective that highlights his struggles as a teenager.   

The film does not fall completely flat. I was highly impressed by the singing of some of the other actors who don’t dabble in the musical world. Kaitlyn Dever, who starred in the 2019 film Booksmart, was a breakout star in this film and brought a lot of integrity and emotion to the character of Zoe Murphy, Connor’s sister. Dever’s version of the song “Requiem” takes a powerful stance in Zoe’s feelings about Connor’s passing and left me feeling vulnerable by her intense anger and grief.   

Another great moment in the film involves the song “Sincerely, Me” with Platt, Nik Dodani and Colton Ryan. Platt and Dodani’s character Jared spin a tale of lies while drafting fake emails to prove Hansen and Connor’s friendship. Connor (Ryan) appears in this number to act out the ridiculous notions the boys come up with. This segment was successful in being just as brilliant with its comedic timing as the play. It is one of the light-hearted moments of the film and acts as a nice break from the harsh reality of the story.   

An issue I had with this film involves the lack of chemistry between Platt and the other actors, especially Dever. Their body language and vague emotional expressions make it hard to believe in an intimate connection. Transitions into musical numbers were also a notable weak point. Song introductions felt unnatural and jarring; the previous dialogue didn’t ease me into the lyrics. It felt like the music and the movie were separate components that were forced to interact with each other. Sometimes the emotional quality of the song overshined in comparison with the simplicity of discussion between the characters.   

This musical to movie adaptation ultimately boils down to personal taste. I appreciate having this movie format as it gives me the opportunity to enjoy the story again and again without depending on seeing the stage version.  

The North American leg of the Dear Evan Hansen Broadway tour will come close to Des Moines during its three nights in Omaha, Nebraska, from December 28th through January 2nd. The movie may not satisfy the average audience. The emotional quality and beauty of live music is what makes the musical shine. The background set and the way the stage is manipulated is the best platform to tell the story. The acting is incredible with a strong cast of theatre experienced performers.  

When it comes to the movie, its enjoyable for its effort, but its weak points prevent it from shining like its predecessor.