It's amazing how a work of art that came out just six years ago can play so differently now.
Exhibit A: "Dear Evan Hansen," a Broadway musical that debuted in 2015 and picked up six trophies at the 2017 Tony Awards, including best musical and best performance by a leading actor in a musical for star Ben Platt. During its initial run, the show was lauded for its show-stopping songs, innovative integration of social media on stage and what seemed at the time like a nuanced portrayal of teenage mental health struggles.
Four years later, a movie adaptation hit theaters Friday with Platt back in the title role of Evan Hansen and Pittsburgh-area native Stephen Chbosky in the director's chair. Chbosky's take on "Dear Evan Hansen" is an admirable effort that stays faithful to the way the musical was staged and gives its stars plenty of chances to flex their vocal chops.
The overall story also remains intact from the original version, and therein lies the film's biggest problem: What seemed novel and uplifting in 2017 is much tougher to swallow in 2021. It doesn't help that Platt, while still being able to nail some tricky emotional beats during his big musical numbers, just isn't convincing as a high school student anymore.
Evan Hansen is a high schooler with social anxiety so severe that he can barely order a pizza on his own. His mother, Heidi (Julianne Moore), does her best to be there for Evan, but her long work hours threaten to drive a wedge between them. He returns to school for a new year with a mysterious cast on his arm that he blames on falling out of a tree over the summer.
A series of mix-ups lead Evan to Cynthia Murphy (Amy Adams) and Larry Mora (Danny Pino), the parents of Evan's classmates Connor (Colton Ryan) and Zoe (Kaitlyn Dever). Connor recently took his own life, and his parents believe that Evan was friends with their son, which he was not. Not wanting to disappoint this family — and harboring a crush on Zoe — Evan concocts a fake friendship between him and Connor that quickly takes on a life of its own.
When Platt was playing Evan on Broadway, you really believed he was a scared kid desperate to take away a family's pain. He sticks with the growing lie because he is enjoying being part of a family he had never experienced after his dad left when Evan was young. Platt's ability to imbue his songs with heaping helpings of emotion really sold Evan's underlying guilt about the whole situation.
This time though, Platt is sporting a hairstyle that makes him look even older and, for whatever reason, harder to empathize with. Everything he does regarding Zoe, Connor and their parents just feels awkward now and more like he's conning this family, intentionally or otherwise. There is, however, one big change from stage to screen that at least nods at the atonement required of Evan if he is ever to be redeemed after the mess he created.
Chbosky's direction on the songs varies wildly depending on the number. He mostly goes for minimalism, with only a few songs, like the opening number "Waving Through a Window," bolstered by some slick editing flourishes. The only time Chbosky really lets loose on a musical set piece is "Sincerely, Me," in which Evan and his friend, Jared (Nik Dodani), cook up some fake emails between Evan and Connor.
Don't go into "Dear Evan Hansen" expecting too many giant song-and-dance numbers that utilize a large ensemble. That's not necessarily a bad thing and is true to how the Broadway show was staged. But anyone already put off by Platt and some of the more problematic plot points probably won't get a serotonin boost from the way the songs are presented.
The actors performing them, however, are still able to shine through and lend those numbers the necessary poignancy. Say what you will about Platt's performance, but his voice is still special. So is Dever's, who admirably holds her own with Platt during the duet "Only Us" and shares a sweet if mildly underdeveloped chemistry with him as the two explore a potential romantic connection.
Ryan, Platt and Dodani look like they're having a blast doing their dance routine on "Sincerely, Me," and Amandla Stenberg, who plays go-getter classmate Alana, gets a chance to shine on a few original songs. Adams and Pino don't do much singing, but they bring enough realistic grief to their roles that you almost believe their desire to learn more about their late son would allow them to be duped by a kid like Evan.
The standout in both performance and musical acumen, though, is Moore as Evan's mom. Her frustration at not being able to give Evan the life she wants for him is palpable. She is also saddled with the task of performing the solo ballad "Too Big, Too Small," which almost singlehandedly won Rachel Bay Jones, the original Heidi on Broadway, a Tony. Moore crushes that song and is liable to elicit some tears from audiences.
"Dear Evan Hansen" is a strange beast of a film that features a director, actors and music doing their darnedest to overcome a fraught narrative. Check it out for the great musical elements, and hopefully you won't cringe too much when no one is singing.
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"DEAR EVAN HANSEN"
2.5 stars (out of 4)
MPAA rating: PG-13 (for thematic material involving suicide, brief strong language and some suggestive references)
Running time: 2:17
Where to watch: Now playing in theaters
