Evan Hansen (Ben Platt), is in his senior year of high school and his Social Anxiety Disorder has not improved despite the medications and therapy. He broke his arm from his summer job when he fell from a tree. This is the film adaptation of the award winning musical by the same name.Evan has lived his life through the conversations in his head. When it comes to actual interaction with anyone, he becomes unable to function. He has one person, Jared (Nik Dodani), who only considers Evan as a family friend.
This film opens by letting us know of his longtime crush on Zoe Murphy (Kaitlyn Dever), and her brother Connor (Colton Ryan). For those who don’t know of the plot point, this might be a trigger for some: there is mention of suicide. This story features multiple facets, bringing up different situations that involve family, talks of honesty and mental health.
Evan soon gets everything he’s ever dreamed about. He is being seen, noticed. He gains friends, being asked to participate in school activities, he gets a girlfriend and is living the life that he imagined. He gains the perfect family. One dynamic that he had always dreamt. He rides that high for a while, forgetting that the truth will always come out of the shadows.
The songs perfectly frame the stories, providing the forward momentum to express thoughts and feelings of each character. Ben Platt’s voice is clear and crisp as he sings out Evan’s storytelling. Amy Adams as Connor’s Mom, we know, definitely can sing.. Juliette Moore was a surprise, as Evan’s hard working mom. I was surprised that she could carry a tune since I have not seen her do so in prior performances.
Evan, weaves a story that takes him to the highest of highs. Reality then slams into the dreamworld, crumbling the image that was a lie. The emotions of the actors certainly rang true. Each actor’s performance was heartfelt, emotional and crushing. If you are a fan of the genre, I would definitely recommend going to see this movie.
4.5/5
