Dear Evan Hansen
★ ★
Dear Evan Hansen is one of the flattest musicals that I've seen on screen. I was able to see the stage play earlier this year and I left that musical a bit at odds. I loved the music and the stage production, but the story is problematic, to say the least. There has been plenty of internet discourse that breaks down the troubling nature of the plot, so I won't pile up on the criticism of that aspect of this story. But I was curious to see how the director, Stephen Chbosky, would use the film medium to bring this story more to life and he pretty much takes zero chances. Only the charismatic "Sincerely, Me" brings a hint of inventiveness to the screen. It's as if he thought his talented cast would be sufficient enough to carry the movie through, and not even all of them are up to the task.
I'm usually a fan of Ben Platt. Age jokes aside, he is unable to transform a stage performance to screen performance. His ticks and mannerisms are too much for the film. I can see how they could play on stage because you have to act for the person in the back row. Film is way more intimate and Platt's ticks and sobs are like a hug from a stranger that lasts five minutes too long. The songs and melodies are terrific to listen to, but this movie is a disservice to their quality. There is no imagination surrounding the performances, which means that in a musical, the story better be stellar. And because it's beyond melodramatic and reckless with the issues such as mental health, you are never in a position to root for Evan Hansen. Which is the complete opposite effect this story should have.
