Dear Evan Hansen Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A socially awkward guy lies about being best friends with a dead classmate, becomes super popular, and then sings about it.

🍿 Dear Evan Hansen: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Introduction to Evan and His Anxiety

Evan Hansen, a high school senior with severe social anxiety, is instructed by his therapist to write daily letters to himself focusing on positive affirmations. He feels isolated and struggles to connect with his peers. His mother, Heidi, a nurse, works long hours to support them, leaving Evan feeling alone.

The Letter and Connor’s Death

Connor Murphy, a troubled and angry classmate, steals one of Evan’s letters. Shortly after, Connor commits suicide. The letter is found on Connor, leading his parents, Cynthia and Larry, to believe it was a suicide note addressed to Evan. Misunderstanding ensues, and Evan, unable to correct them, gets drawn into a web of lies.

The Lie Grows

To comfort the Murphys, Evan fabricates a close friendship with Connor, creating fake emails and stories. He gains acceptance and attention he’s always craved, especially from Connor’s sister, Zoe, whom Evan has a crush on. His lie inadvertently inspires a school-wide movement centered around Connor’s memory.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Evan Hansen (Ben Platt): A high school senior with social anxiety disorder who gets caught in a lie about being friends with a deceased classmate.
• Heidi Hansen (Julianne Moore): Evan’s hard-working single mother who struggles to connect with her son.
• Zoe Murphy (Kaitlyn Dever): Connor’s sister and Evan’s love interest, who initially doubts Evan’s fabricated friendship with her brother.
• Cynthia Murphy (Amy Adams): Connor’s grieving mother who latches onto Evan’s false narrative to cope with her son’s death.
• Connor Murphy (Colton Ryan): A troubled high school student whose suicide inadvertently sets off a chain of events involving Evan.
• Alana Beck (Amandla Stenberg): An ambitious and overachieving student who helps Evan create ‘The Connor Project’.
• Jared Kalwani (Nik Dodani): Evan’s cynical family friend who assists him in fabricating the details of his supposed friendship with Connor.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Evan Hansen: “If you knew who I am, how broken I am.” – Evan expresses his insecurities and vulnerability to Alana, revealing his fear of being truly known.
• Heidi Hansen: “I already know you. And I love you.” – Heidi reassures Evan of her unwavering love and acceptance, despite his flaws and struggles.
• Evan Hansen: “Dear Evan Hansen, today is going to be a good day and here’s why…” – The opening line of Evan’s self-addressed letters, meant to be a therapeutic exercise for his anxiety.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $28,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $15,002,646
• Worldwide Gross: $19,133,454

💥 Dear Evan Hansen Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, so I saw this movie, and I had *feelings*. I’m a big fan of the original musical. It just made me so sad because they took such a meaningful story and just…messed it up. Ben Platt’s acting felt off, and I just couldn’t connect with the characters the way I did on stage. The ‘Sincerely Me’ scene felt so flat. I was so disappointed. Like, I can’t believe how much they ruined it. But, I will admit ‘So Big/So Small’ made me cry.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of the original Dear Evan Hansen musical.”
  • “Viewers interested in stories about mental health and social anxiety.”
  • “Those who appreciate character-driven dramas.”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Suicide”
  • “Mental health themes”
  • “Lying and deception”
  • “Strong language”

Professional Reviews

• IndieWire: “A misguided adaptation of a beloved musical, ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ suffers from miscasting and a shallow treatment of sensitive themes. Despite strong performances from the supporting cast, the film struggles to capture the emotional depth and nuance of the stage production.
• The Hollywood Reporter: “Ben Platt’s age becomes a major distraction, overshadowing the intended message. The film is visually uninspired and fails to justify its existence beyond capitalizing on the popularity of the musical.
• Variety: “‘Dear Evan Hansen’ is a well-intentioned but flawed adaptation. While the music remains powerful, the narrative stumbles in its translation to the screen, resulting in a tonally inconsistent and emotionally unconvincing experience. Amy Adams and Kaitlyn Dever offer standout performances.

Audience Reactions

Some found the film emotionally moving, especially those already familiar with the musical’s themes.: The music resonated with many viewers, and the themes of isolation and mental health connected with some audience members.

Many viewers criticized the casting choices, especially Ben Platt’s age, saying it detracted from the believability of the character.: Casting choices are questionable, the narrative is clumsy, and that it fails to capture the magic of the Broadway musical.

Overall Consensus: Generally negative reviews citing miscasting, poor adaptation of the source material, and a failure to capture the emotional depth of the stage musical.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “The vocal performances in the film were recorded almost entirely live on set, specifically to ensure that Ben Platt’s vocals sounded as genuine and authentic as possible.”
• “Ben Platt originated the role of Evan Hansen on Broadway, winning a Tony Award for his performance. His father, Marc Platt, is one of the producers of the film.”

🖥️ How to Watch Dear Evan Hansen?

Dear Evan Hansen is available to rent or buy on various platforms including Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, and Vudu. Check your local listings for television airings and streaming availability on subscription services. For physical copies, DVD and Blu-ray versions can be purchased through major retailers and online marketplaces like Amazon.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Dear Evan Hansen, you might like these similar films:

• The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012): Deals with themes of social anxiety, trauma, and finding your place in high school.
• Words on Bathroom Walls (2020): Explores mental health issues in teenagers, specifically schizophrenia, with a focus on acceptance and understanding.
• Next to Normal (2024): Explores similar themes of mental illness and family struggles within a musical format.
• Thirteen (2003): Depicts the struggles and difficulties of teenagers including topics on sex, drugs and violence.

🛒 Dear Evan Hansen Related Products

• Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel: Dive deeper into Evan’s story with the official novelization of the hit musical. Explore the characters and plot with richer detail and backstory.
• Dear Evan Hansen (Original Broadway Cast Recording): Experience the full emotional impact of the original Broadway cast recording. Featuring all the iconic songs and performances.
• Dear Evan Hansen Sheet Music Anthology: Play your favorite songs from Dear Evan Hansen with this complete sheet music collection. Perfect for musicians and fans alike.
• Dear Evan Hansen ‘You Will Be Found’ T-Shirt: Show your support and spread the message of hope with this officially licensed ‘You Will Be Found’ t-shirt.

🎧 Soundtrack

Dear Evan Hansen features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Waving Through a Window” – performed by Ben Platt
• “You Will Be Found” – performed by Ben Platt & Company
• “Sincerely Me” – performed by Ben Platt, Mike Faist & Colton Ryan
• “So Big/So Small” – performed by Julianne Moore

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Dear Evan Hansen – What’s it About?

Confused about what *really* happened in Dear Evan Hansen? This video breaks down the entire plot, act by act. Honestly, after watching this, I had a whole new perspective on Evan’s choices!

Dear Evan Hansen has some great songs but a horrible message

Catchy tunes, right? But does Dear Evan Hansen send the *wrong* message? This video really made me rethink the film’s themes, and you might too!

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