October
24
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Dear Evan Hansen (12A)
Dear Evan Hansen (12A)
Director: Stephen Chbosky
Runtime: 137 minutes
Cast: Ben Platt, Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, Nik Dodani, Danny Pino, Colton Ryan, DeMarius Copes
Synopsis: The breathtaking, generation-defining Broadway phenomenon becomes a soaring cinematic event as Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award winner Ben Platt reprises his role as an anxious, isolated high schooler aching for understanding and belonging amid the chaos and cruelty of the social-media age.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN7md7yl6mc
The film is directed by writer and producer, Stephen Chbosky [Wonder (2017), The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012), The Four Corners of Nowhere (1995)], with music and lyrics by the Academy Award, Tony and Grammy award winning composers, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul [La La Land, The Greatest Showman].
Dear Evan Hansen is a powerful insight into living with mental illness, an uplifting journey of self-acceptance and a celebration of the things that make us unique.
The Grammy and six times Tony Award winning musical has been adapted for the big screen with its original Broadway leading man, Ben Platt [Pitch Perfect] reprising his role as Evan Hansen.
Evan has a social anxiety disorder making the confusing world of high school all the more challenging. His therapist recommends that he writes himself a daily letter of affirmations, but when one of his letters is taken by a fellow classmate, who then tragically takes his own life, it is assumed that Evan’s letter is the young man’s final words.
Evan Hansen is an anxious, isolated high-school student, aching for understanding and belonging amid the chaos and cruelty of the social media age. He soon embarks on a journey of self-discovery when the letter he wrote for a writing exercise falls into the hands of a grieving couple whose son took his own life.
A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted…..a chance to fit in.
Ben Platts’ voice is perfect for the emotionally resonant songs which each contain their own powerful messages and themes. From “You Will Be Found” to “If I Could Tell Her”or even “Words Fail” they were all handled beautifully. Stephen Chbosky translates the dynamic sequences from the stage to the screen in interesting ways and the musical sequences are stunning.
The whole ensemble are excellent with Amandla Stenberg as the activist Alana particularly strong.
Evan Hansen is an emotional journey that explores the complexities of themes of mental health in a school/social media setting with an outstanding central performance from Ben Platt.
In cinemas
Images courtesy of: UNIVERSAL PICTURES
