DEAR EVAN HANSEN Movie Musical - News & Discussion Thread- Page 12

[Theatre Fan3]

Posted: 5/19/21 at 5:39pm

If indeed they did put him in a wig or some sort of hairpiece it appears he liked the result and has decided to adopt it for the time being.

Ben Platt Is VERY Ready to Return to NYC

 

Updated On: 5/19/21 at 05:39 PM

[DEHFanatic]

Posted: 5/19/21 at 5:49pm

jlindsey865 said: "Alex Kulak2 said: "Not gonna lie, it's a pretty good poster. Good use of empty space, the gradient in the title going from blue to white to emulate the sky. Not crazy about the text of the letter, but it adds a layer of mystery, I guess."

The poster is well designed w/ the exception of the text of the letter, in my opinion."

What do you either/both of you find troubling about the text?

I do love the crossed out "yourself!" that is replaced with "yourself?"  Adds a whole new dimension to the letter.

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 5/19/21 at 6:07pm

Really enjoying all the tweets about people finding out what the plot is.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 5/19/21 at 6:17pm

I think there was an article somewhere that said Steven Levenson has changed the third act of the film so that Evan doesn't get off scot-free as he did in the stage show. Which I think will help with those who really, REALLY hated the show's ending. Also that poster is really cool and I like it, not West Side Story teaser poster amazing, but pretty cool on it's own.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/19/21 at 7:30pm

"My only issue is that it seems to be nearly the ONLY things people are mentioning/discussing"

Exactly. Not the ridiculously talented cast, how it looks, how it sounds, the cinematography, etc.

Nah, let's talk about his "wig" which isn't a wig at all. People are so amusing.

[BwayLB]

Posted: 5/19/21 at 7:47pm

Musical Master said: "I think there was an article somewhere that said Steven Levenson has changed the third act of the film so that Evan doesn't get off scot-free as he did in the stage show. Which I think will help with those who really, REALLY hated the show's ending. Also that poster is really cool and I like it, not West Side Story teaser poster amazing, but pretty cool on it's own."

I did not hate the ending completely. Evan going on living made me a graceful loser. But i felt bad he did not get back together with Zoe or earned friends.

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 5/19/21 at 8:29pm

So far, Universal Studios' upload of the trailer has over 1 million views on YouTube, with 38K likes, 834 dislikes, and barely a mention of Ben's age/look in the comments. The very vocal minority of people who have been complaining about this since the project was announced clearly don't care that most people who want to see the movie couldn't care less that he doesn't look like a teenager, and, in fact, are excited to see him in the role. 

 

 

 

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 5/19/21 at 8:37pm

Ben Platt thanked his fans ''from the bottom of my [heart] for the outpouring of trailer love yesterday.'' But the 27-year-old Tony winner isn't happy with the criticism that he doesn't pass for a teenager. In a tweet, he called the naysayers ''randos being jerks'' and urged them to ''read this great [Vanity Fair] article [about the movie] and/or watch grease.'' Platt has since deleted the tweet.

https://variety.com/2021/film/news/ben-platt-responds-dear-evan-hansen-trailer-criticism-1234976568/

 

Updated On: 5/19/21 at 08:37 PM

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 5/19/21 at 8:50pm

I find it interesting that people keep using the film of Grease as some sort of defense for casting actors who are well out of their teenage years and look it. People have been mocking the age of the cast in that for ages.

[DEHFanatic]

Posted: 5/19/21 at 8:59pm

CT2NYC said: "So far, Universal Studios' upload of the trailer has over 1 million views on YouTube, with 38K likes, 834dislikes, and barely a mention of Ben's age/look in the comments. The very vocal minority of people who have been complaining about this since the project was announced clearly don't care that most people who want to see the movie couldn't care less that he doesn't look like a teenager, and, in fact, are excited to see him in the role."

Thanks for putting things in perspective - I just wonder how many individuals that 1 million views represent?  I know I alone account for about 1% 

 

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/19/21 at 10:28pm

I can’t fault Ben for looking the way he does. I think shows like Glee, Riverdale, etc. get away with much older people playing teenagers because everyone roughly looks the same age, so we just accept it. They surrounded Ben with people who look much younger than him. Kaitlyn Dever looks a decade younger than Ben even though they’re a few years apart in age. The supporting cast looks like they belong in a Netflix series set at a high school, like 13 Reasons Why. I think if they cast this more carefully, we wouldn’t be seeing as many petty comments. Grease works because everyone was old and no one looked like they belonged in high school.

Anyway, I don’t think it’s petty to be annoyed you can see his foundation and blush in all of the closeup shots when he’s singing. Fix that before putting it in the trailer. Again, this is not Ben’s fault for looking the way he does.

[BwayLB]

Posted: 5/19/21 at 10:30pm

^ Even I had a hard time imagining Amy Adams as Cynthia Murphy when she was announced.

[JayElle]

Posted: 5/19/21 at 10:37pm

 

I was disappointed they didn't use more of the orig cast in the movie. My biggest interest is getting to see Ben sing the show. It will be a great dvd.

[jlindsey865]

Posted: 5/19/21 at 11:06pm

Sutton Ross said: ""My only issue is that it seems to be nearly the ONLY things people are mentioning/discussing"

Exactly. Not the ridiculously talented cast, how it looks, how it sounds, the cinematography, etc.

Nah, let's talk about his "wig" which isn't a wig at all. People are so amusing. "

Casting an Evan who looks 30 is like casting an Elphaba and then not painting her green.

Evan’s age is a pivotal part of the show.  To dismiss concerns over his older appearance shows a lack of knowledge about the show and its plot on your end.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/19/21 at 11:14pm

Haha. Nope. It's cute you decided to, once again, quote me for the 50th time today. I saw the show at the his peak (before he declined and only did the show like 6 times a week). Ben Platt was perfect, I felt his anxiety, it jumped off the stage. Brilliant and incredibly frail. He looks very similar in the movie, and he will be, once again, perfection. 

And as someone else on this thread said brilliantly: 

The very vocal minority of people who have been complaining about this since the project was announced clearly don't care that most people who want to see the movie couldn't care less that he doesn't look like a teenager, and, in fact, are excited to see him in the role. 

I don't care about what you think of Ben. Not in any reality anywhere in the world. Don't see the show. I promise you, nobody cares.

Now go harass someone else because I'm done talking to a Rob-Kardashian-Before-He-Got-Fat wannabe. Kisses. 

 

[jlindsey865]

Posted: 5/19/21 at 11:22pm

Sutton Ross said: "Haha. Nope. It's cute you decided to, once again, quote me for the 50th time today. I saw the show at the his peak (before he declined and only did the show like 6 times a week). Ben Platt was perfect, I felt his anxiety, it jumped off the stage. Brilliant and incredibly frail. He looks very similar in the movie, and he will be, once again, perfection.

And as someone else on this thread said brilliantly:

The very vocal minority of people who have been complaining about this since the project was announced clearly don't carethat most people who want to see the movie couldn't care less that he doesn't look like a teenager, and, in fact, are excited to see him in the role.

I don't care about what you think of Ben. Not in any reality anywhere in the world. Don't see the show. I promise you, nobody cares.

Now go harass someone else because I'm done talking to a Rob-Kardashian-Before-He-Got-Fat wannabe. Kisses.

"

I have said on several occasions that Ben is extremely talented.  I have also stated that he deserved every accolade that he received for his performance in the OBC.

My opinion stands that he was not the right choice for the film adaptation.  Additionally, this conversation is happening between several people on this board - not just you and me.  If you feel like I have responded to you specifically on several occasions, it was certainly not intentional.

Also, I have a beard these days, so not sure if I’m giving off Rob K. vibes right now.

 

Updated On: 5/19/21 at 11:22 PM

[jlindsey865]

Posted: 5/19/21 at 11:35pm

DEHFanatic said: "jlindsey865 said: "Alex Kulak2 said: "Not gonna lie, it's a pretty good poster. Good use of empty space, the gradient in the title going from blue to white to emulate the sky. Not crazy about the text of the letter, but it adds a layer of mystery, I guess."

The poster is well designed w/ the exception of the text of the letter, in my opinion."

What do you either/both of you find troubling about the text?

I do love the crossed out "yourself!" that is replaced with "yourself?" Adds a whole new dimension to the letter."

The poster itself is designed really well.  I think the text takes away from the overall design.  It makes it look too busy.

[darreyl102]

Posted: 5/20/21 at 1:02am

Sutton Ross said: "Haha. Nope. It's cute you decided to, once again, quote me for the 50th time today. I saw the show at the his peak (before he declined and only did the show like 6 times a week). Ben Platt was perfect, I felt his anxiety, it jumped off the stage. Brilliant and incredibly frail. He looks very similar in the movie, and he will be, once again, perfection.

And as someone else on this thread said brilliantly:

The very vocal minority of people who have been complaining about this since the project was announced clearly don't carethat most people who want to see the movie couldn't care less that he doesn't look like a teenager, and, in fact, are excited to see him in the role.

I don't care about what you think of Ben. Not in any reality anywhere in the world. Don't see the show. I promise you, nobody cares.

Now go harass someone else because I'm done talking to a Rob-Kardashian-Before-He-Got-Fat wannabe. Kisses.

"

The irony of you saying "nobody cares", is that you care enough to take the time out of your day to respond to the Post. If you truly did not care, you wouldn't even acknowledge the post's presence, and wouldn't take the time to respond and would just keep it moving. You cared enough to respond. 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 5/20/21 at 2:57am

bwayphreak234 said: "Oh my... I'm not sure what they did to Platt's face for this film, but it does not look natural."

I cannot tell what's wrong but it's hitting that uncanny valley territory. Is his body strangely proportioned from the wig or how he's dressed or his posture? Is he just wearing too much makeup? As people have said, actors sometimes play much younger characters, even surrounded by younger actors closer in age to the characters. But something about Ben in this trailer looks... not real, in a way that is distracting and disturbing. 

Amy Adams appears to be giving a good performance and Julianne Moore is fine but this movie seems to be about on the same level as Wonder. It could be just as successful but it doesn't feel like a movie you want to watch in theaters. 

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 5/20/21 at 3:00am

It looks like an SNL sketch.

I think the real eye opener is people realizing what the show is about. A **** person. And a straight white dude being awful. Not sure how that’ll play. (I didn’t for once think the character came off as a straight man however)

[bear88]

Posted: 5/20/21 at 5:23am

I wasn't a big Dear Evan Hansen fan when I saw it on Broadway. I even thought Ben Platt's acclaimed performance was a little overwrought at times. And I'm well aware that many people hate the plot and the character of Evan.

But the musical has been the biggest original Broadway hit since Hamilton, and it's been a touring juggernaut - at least in the United States. 

So I'm not surprised there's a film adaptation, or that the producers wanted Platt to play the role in the movie. Yeah, I know, he's got connections, but he won a bunch of awards and a lot of critical praise for his work as Evan Hansen.

The irony, to me, is that we usually bemoan Hollywood's inevitable use of non-theater performers in musicals in favor of bigger names. If nothing else, we're going to see Platt - in a role he created - play it on film.

Will it work? I have no idea. I also have no idea if Julianne Moore, a wonderful actor, can sing. 

This is hardly the first example of movies picking stars or actors they think will be good in the part play characters who are much younger. Judas and the Black Messiah - a serious drama - is only the most recent example, with LaKeith Stanfield (28 at the time) playing a teenager while Daniel Kaluuya, past 30, won an Oscar portraying Fred Hampton (killed at 21). 

I do agree wtth those who question whether Platt is such a big star that his presence in the movie will make or break it. I wonder if Platt's acting style as Evan will be as effective on film as on stage. I wonder if the plot will just not interest the average moviegoer. And no, I don't love Platt's hair and makeup from what I've seen in the trailer.

But part of watching a lot of theater, and especially musicals, is learning to look past things that aren't necessarily realistic. As someone else mentioned, I'll forget about that stuff a few minutes into the movie. 

I neither loved nor hated the stage musical. But I would rather it not suck, if for no other reason than to encourage successful adaptations of musicals and plays. I'm hoping all the ones that are arriving this year are good, and that at least one is great.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 5/20/21 at 8:35am

Can we talk about why in the movie, Connor writes his name giant on Evan's cast? In the stage show, it's a practical thing, because the people at the back of the balcony need to see it. In the movie, I thought it might be more affecting for him to write his name normal-sized or even in little tiny print. It was always kind of a plot hole how Cynthia doesn't notice it until the very end of the scene in the principal's office. Making it smaller, where she has to get up close to notice it, might have that make more sense.

[jlindsey865]

Posted: 5/20/21 at 8:58am

Alex Kulak2 said: "Can we talk about why in the movie, Connor writes his name giant on Evan's cast? In the stage show, it's a practical thing, because the people at the back of the balcony need to see it. In the movie, I thought it might be more affecting for him to write his name normal-sized or even in little tiny print. It was always kind of a plot holehow Cynthia doesn't notice it until the very end of the scene in the principal's office. Making it smaller, where she has to get up close to notice it, might have that make more sense."

I noticed that to.  It definitely makes Connor's intent seem more malicious than in the stage version.

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 5/20/21 at 9:03am

Alex Kulak2 said: "Can we talk about why in the movie, Connor writes his name giant on Evan's cast? In the stage show, it's a practical thing, because the people at the back of the balcony need to see it. In the movie, I thought it might be more affecting for him to write his name normal-sized or even in little tiny print. It was always kind of a plot holehow Cynthia doesn't notice it until the very end of the scene in the principal's office. Making it smaller, where she has to get up close to notice it, might have that make more sense."

Exactly why should we talk about this?

A bereaved mother not immediately noticing the writing on a stranger's cast is not something that I've ever heard any reasonable person criticize about the stage show, and calling it a "plot hole" is a big stretch.

So, why don't you wait until September when you can see it in the context of the film before you bring it up here? 

 

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Posted: 5/20/21 at 9:03am

Alex Kulak2 said: " . . . It was always kind of a plot holehow Cynthia doesn't notice it until the very end of the scene in the principal's office. Making it smaller, where she has to get up close to notice it, might have that make more sense."

In the trailer he’s wearing a jacket that covers the cast.  She feels it when she holds his hand, wonders what it is, and roles up his sleeve revealing Connor’s name.  I think it’s well done.  Her reaction at seeing the name is subtle yet powerful.