Dear Evan Hansen discussion questions and review written by the Unicorn on October 4th, 2021. This post contains affiliate links, you can find out more on our policies page or in the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog.
Know Before You Watch the Evan Hansen Movie
Movie: Dear Evan Hansen
Rating: PG-13
Age Suggestion: 13+
Running Time: 2 hours 17 minutes
Release Date: September 24, 2021
Where to Watch: Currently (October 2021) this is only available to watch in theaters
Themes: Honesty, Anxiety, Finding Purpose, Family
Warnings: Suicide, Light Violence, Mild Explicit Language, Mild Suggestive Content, Suggested Drug Use
Quick Dear Evan Hansen Summary
Lonely and anxious teen Evan Hansen struggles with being himself and making friends, but when the opportunity for friendship and having a place of belonging falls in his lap he takes it. Even though it’s under really questionable circumstances. Evan learns about the importance of honesty and being himself.
Dear Evan Hansen Review
**light spoilers**
–Is Dear Evan Hansen Appropriate?-
Dear Evan Hansen has some heavy subject matter and some things that may be triggering to some people. We wouldn’t recommend this film for anyone under 13, or anyone who cannot handle the topic of suicide, as it is the basis for the main storyline. The drug use is only implied by the fact that Connor has been in rehab and they allude to him smoking weed. The violence and suggestive content is very mild and most of it is in ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ scenes. The explicit language is consistent throughout the movie, but there is less language than there is in the stage show. There is one f-bomb.
Dear Evan Hansen Movie Trailer
-Characters & Acting-
Since the first trailer dropped for this movie, the casting has been a huge topic. Ben Platt, who was the original Evan Hansen on Broadway, was cast to play 17-year-old Evan in the film as well, despite Platt being 28 years old. As I watched the movie, it was hard to get past the fact that Platt did not look 17. This would not be a big deal, except for the fact that Kaitlyn Dever, who plays Zoe Murphy, looks 16-19 and it made their relationship feel creepy.
Despite this, Ben Platt carried the film from an acting and singing standpoint. Although we would have loved to see someone else in the role, his anxiety was palpable, and it felt genuine. Other standouts were Amandla Stenberg as Alana, Kaitlyn Dever as Zoe, and Julianne Moore as Heidi Hansen. The rest of the cast felt believable in their roles, and the acting and singing were strong across the board!
-How does the Dear Evan Hansen Movie compare to the Musical?!-
Dear Evan Hansen began as a Tony-winning Broadway musical, and it was not surprising to anyone that they decided to make a movie. If you have seen the musical, you’ll notice some changes between the two, but nothing that impacts the story in a major way. They remedied some of the issues from the show to make Evan take more accountability for his actions and to remove some of the creepiness of Zoe and Evan’s relationship.
They also added a lot of backstory for Alana Beck, who starts the Connor Project. They have also cut four songs from the musical and added one new song sung by Alana. The story feels well-paced, and it had some fun moments despite the heavy subject matter.
-Film Quality-
The film quality was iffy throughout the film. There were a couple reused establishing shots of the Hansen house that reminded me of a Disney Channel sitcom, not a major motion picture. As previously mentioned, Ben Platt looked older than a high schooler, and it wasn’t helped by his hair or makeup. Apart from these quality issues, it was still a well-made movie.
–Favorite Moments-
My absolute favorite song now is Sincerely, Me. It is the crassest song in the show, but they watered it down a little, including removing a homophobic joke. The changes were for the better, but they took advantage of the fact that it was on screen in the best way, allowing them to perform the song across different locations, and make it the most fun they could have, with go-karts, arcade games, and some Fred Astaire inspired dancing (notably, the only dancing we see in the movie, which is not typical for a musical movie).
–Dear Evan Hansen Quotes-
“Even when the dark comes crashing through, when you need a friend to carry you, and when you’re broken on the ground, you will be found.” – Evan Hansen
“So, no matter how hard it gets, even if it feels impossible, this time you’ll know. Don’t let go. Just hold on and keep going. Just keep going.” – Evan Hansen
The Conner Project
In the film and musical, The Conner Project is the suicide helpline project that the students start. In real life there are a lot of similar projects, fortunately!
–The suicide prevention lifeline. You can also call 1-800-273-8255
–Suicide prevention help guide
–Mental health services administration
Dear Evan Hansen Discussion Questions
*SPOILERS INCLUDED*
1) How did you feel about Evan lying about the letter? Have you ever felt like you had no choice but to lie?
2) Each character has a unique struggle, like Evan’s panic attacks, Connor’s anger issues, and Alana’s anxiety. Which characters’ struggles did you identify with, if any?
3) Evan tells many lies that hurt the Murphy family, Alana, Jared, and his mother Heidi. Even though it was hard, he did finally tell the truth. When was a time that you had to tell the truth even when it was hard? How did telling the truth feel?
Thanks for Reading our Dear Evan Hansen Discussion Questions and Review.
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–Clouds Review: The true story of Zach Sobiech, a young musical artist who gets a terminal diagnosis
–Schmigadoon! Review: A modern-day homage to the musical classics!
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