A Reel Review: DEAR EVAN HANSEN

In 2015, the coming-of-age stage musical Dear Evan Hansen premiered on Broadway, eventually winning six Tony Awards. The lead role was held down by Ben Platt, who brings his talent to the big screen adaptation. 

Evan (Platt), is a teenager who suffers from social anxiety who, as part of his recovery, is tasked with writing a helpful letter to himself. His letter is hijacked by his troubled classmate Connor (Colton Ryan), who later commits suicide…leading Connor’s grieving parents (Amy Adams, Danny Pino), and sister Zoe (Kaitlyn Dever), to believe that Connor and Evan were best friends. 

Directed by Stephen Chbosky and based on the stage musical, which itself was based on the novel by Steven Levenson, the plot of DEAR EVAN HANSEN is a series of snowballing complications. Connor and Evan were far from friends, but Evan gives into the grieving Murphy family for the sake of easing their pain. This leads to the entire school rallying behind Evan and the family, with charity projects and a strong social media campaign which aids other teens struggling with depression or social anxiety. 

The film tries to land on many themes; social anxiety for teens, social media issues, the grieving process, and most of all, family. There are a ton of emotional points that need to be hit on, but the script goes after them too hard and too fast, often repeating them over and over. With that much repetition it becomes a bit of a grind, and the running time of 137 minutes feels longer. 

There is still a lot to admire in DEAR EVAN HANSEN. With some clever costuming, exaggerated body language, and a little bit of CGI, the 27-year-old Ben Platt is made out to be a high-schooler and it works. The musical numbers add to character’s internal thoughts, and there is an earnest effort to get up-close and personal with the primary characters. The film does have an artificial look to it; every house, classroom, and locker-room hallway just lacks a lived-in look. 

Performances are outstanding all-around. Ben Platt, despite playing an awkward teen who can barely squeak out two words around a girl, fills up the screen very well. His chemistry with the excellent Kaitlyn Dever provides a spark. Amy Adams plays the role of a grief-stricken parent very well, and Julianne Moore, playing Evan’s mother, is also excellent. 

DEAR EVAN HANSEN ends on a bittersweet note, as the primary players end with just as many losses as they do gains. As a film with a whole lot to say, anyone can come away with a different takeaway…and that’s a good thing. There is some polish needed, but it still manages to have some shine. 

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it