Dear Evan Hansen is a film of inspiration, facing consequences, with a top notch cast and fantastic singing! Of course, it started as a musical opening on Broadway in 2016. It won at the Tony Awards; best actor in a leading role, best featured actress, best musical, book of a musical, best score, and orchestration, Alex Lacamoire. The film is directed by Stephen Chbosky who wrote and directed The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) adapting his 1999 novel. He wrote the screenplays for the film adaptations of Rent (2005) and Beauty and the Beast (2017). The screenplay of this film is by Steven Levenson who won the Tony for his book of the musical and also the screenplay for the upcoming film musical, tick, tick… Boom! The songwriters are the duo of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who also won the Tony Award for best score, and wrote the songs for La La Land (2016), winning the Academy Award for original song, and The Greatest Showman (2017). The film begins with Evan Hansen (Ben Platt) taking his pills and typing on his computer a letter to himself. I recognize Platt as Benji, the magician, from Pitch Perfect (2012), but he was also in this year’s drama, Broken Diamonds.
There was a question about his age, but I will note that Ben Platt was 27 when filming the movie. In Grease (1978), Olivia Newton John playing Sandy, turned 29 when filming the movie, Jeff Conway playing Kenickie was 26, and Frenchy (Didi Conn) was actually 26 during the filming. We know that adults playing teens is a usual Hollywood casting, but I had taught all grades at high school, and thought the moment that I saw Platt that he must play a senior. This is the grade he is in with Dear Evan Hansen. We see his constant correction of his text to build positive character that he is shy, unconfident, and isolated. Platt’s performance, after honing Evan’s character with two years on stage, is complex; breaking Evan out of his shell, going from sadness to joy and then incredible sorrow, and having to confront his mistakes. He has a cast on his broken arm, it really is symbolic, Evan’s literal shell and healing. Evan broke his arm falling from a tree at Ellison State Park. The setting is somewhere in the Northeast, I think Wisconsin. Evan looks outside his window to see the people who seem to not notice him. This is the first song, “Waving Through the Window.”
Evan heads downstairs to the kitchen to see his mother, Heidi played by Julianne Moore. She is known as a dramatic actress from films like The Kids Are All Right (2010). Her character seems concerned about Evan, but is too busy with her hospital work to really spend time with him. She does remind him about his therapist assignment to write the letter to himself and also gives him a pen to have a student sign his cast. I think it would actually important to see the therapist at one time, but he is a missing character. Evan has to take the bus to school and sees at school, Alana (Amandla Stenberg) at a table, acting like the class president-type. Stenberg was also in the drama, The Hate U Give (2018). Her character is fascinating, one imagines that the student on many clubs would be motivated which is Alana, but of course there is a connection to Evan. At his locker, Connor (Colton Ryan) sees Evan’s attempt to smile at him and pushes him. He seems like the school bully, but of course there seems to be more to his character. Ryan was in the series, Little Voice, and was the understudy for many parts in the Dear Evan Hansen musical.
His long time crush, Zoe (Kaitlyn Dever), apologizes for her brother. She was in the comedy, booksmart (2019). Revealed later, she is the young sister of Connor, and while she has friends at school, playing guitar in a jazz band, there is a loneliness there. She becomes closer to Evan over the coarse of the movie. He is of course nervous talking to Zoe, but gets some almost instant confidence in the following scene with her. Evan wanders through the school, he passes through the crowded school hall, but is ignored. Later, Evan tries to talk about his problems to Jared played by Nik Dodani who was in the thriller, Escape Room (2019). Jared tries to explain that he is a family friend, not really a friend. Dodani is a bit of an unsympathetic character, but appears not to have other friends. Jared’s off color jokes might hint at something about his character, but this is not too developed. Evan is at the library and prints up his letter. He goes to the library printer, there is a line, and Connor notices Evan’s cast. Connor asks to sign the cast, but Evan says he doesn’t have a pen. Of course, Connor finds a pen on a desk and signs his name. He goes up to the printer and finds Evan’s letter. Connor sees his sister’s name and screams at Evan that this is a way to play a joke on him.
Evan tries to get the letter back and Connor pushes him down. He is worried about the letter checking to see if Connor posted the letter online, but no results. As he tells Jared about his worries, Evan gets a call to go the principal’s office. He finds seated there is Connor’s mother, Cynthia Murphy, played by Amy Adams. The actress is this year's dramatic film, The Woman in the Window with co-star Moore. She of course has sang in The Muppets (2011), earlier in Enchanted (2007), and of course Adams is in the upcoming sequel, Disenchanted. Also in the office is Larry (Danny Pino) who is Connor’s father. Pino has tv roles in the dramatic series, Mayans M.C. Cynthia tells Evan that Connor had died and had the letter in his hand. They mistakedly think Connor wrote the letter. Connor’s parents also believe that Evan was a secret friend to their son. In turn, Evan finds them as the family he never knew. Cynthia notices Connor’s name on Evan’s cast. They invite Evan to dinner, this is something he has never done before, plus they are more upper class than Evan’s mother who is more working class. Evan has heard their stories about Connor’s happiest time was at an orchard which is now closed down. Cynthia is desperate to find some connection to her son, it is apparent that she sees Evan as a replacement for Connor.
He decides to make up the time he spent with Connor at the orchard with the song “For Forever.” It is funny song with imaginary scenes of the two "friends" dancing at a Dance Dance Revolution. Jared adds his asides to the narrative. A hilarious nod to Ryan for changing Connor from bully to friend. This sets up a pattern of lies that leads to Evan faking e-mails he had with Connor. He asks Jared while they are running track if he can write the e-mails. Alana tries to bring Evan to help with “The Connor Project” that becomes fundraiser to restore the orchard. She understands that Evan is taking pills for his anxiety which she is also taking. At the school assembly, Evan tries to give a speech, stumbles, and then breaks into the “You Will Be Found” song. Video of his speech becomes viral on social media. The end of the film is bittersweet, it is expanded from the musical, which in interviews Platt noted is more of a redemption for Evan. Some of the themes are the social pressures and isolation not only at Evan’s school, but the workplace and the market. Also, the highs and lows of social media. This is especially strong in a character like Evan Hansen who is disconnected. It is an important musical for young people and really anyone who's felt alone or isolated.
Four Letters out of Five!
#DearEvanHansen, #StephenChbosky, #BenPlatt, #KaitlynDever, #AmandlaStenberg, #NikDodani, #AmyAdams, #DannyPino, #JulianneMoore
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