DEAR EVAN HANSEN Movie Musical - News & Discussion Thread- Page 25

[Theatre Fan3]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 3:17pm

It's good to hear positive comments for the film but let's not forget that this video is a featurette for the film put out by the studio that made it ... do you really think they would include any sort of negative reactions ... and yes, you know there will be some of those.  That's just the reality of human nature.  Everybody is entitled to their own opinions.  I hope that the film lives up to all our expectations.  We can all judge for ourselves in a couple of weeks.

[soulmistin]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 4:33pm

Bettyboy72 said: "Grease was a campy musical where all the “teens” looked equally old. I think it’s a harder suspension of disbelief in this dramatic scenario.
In The Heights had incredible reviews, lots of buzz, and momentum and it tanked. I’ll be curious to see how this fares."

Yes, exactly. For me as an audience member, I am at no point going to be able to look past how old Ben Platt looks. He already gives the appearance of being older than his 27 years, let alone a high school student. Plus his whole attitude when criticized and him being a nepotism baby don't help.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 7:39pm

Theatre Fan3 said: "I hope that the film lives up to all our expectations. We can all judge for ourselves in a couple of weeks."

I'm hoping the film is the movie musical redemption story Universal needs after the trainwreck called Cats. That's what I'm praying for.

 

[jlindsey865]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 8:03pm

Musical Master said: "Theatre Fan3 said: "I hope that the film lives up to all our expectations. We can all judge for ourselves in a couple of weeks."

I'm hoping the film is the movie musical redemption story Universal needs after the trainwreckcalledCats. That's what I'm praying for.

"

While I don’t believe DEH will be the award-winning film that others do, I don’t think there is even a chance it will be the train wreck that the Cats adaptation was.  There are rarely films that crash-and-burn the same way Cats did, so I do think DEH will somewhat help Universal’s reputation when it comes to musicals.

Updated On: 9/7/21 at 08:03 PM

[Musical Master]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 8:32pm

100% agree with you there.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 9:23pm

jlindsey865 said: "Musical Master said: "Theatre Fan3 said: "I hope that the film lives up to all our expectations. We can all judge for ourselves in a couple of weeks."

I'm hoping the film is the movie musical redemption story Universal needs after the trainwreckcalledCats. That's what I'm praying for.

"

While I don’t believe DEH will be the award-winning film that others do, I don’t think there is even a chanceit will be the train wreck that the Cats adaptation was. There are rarely films that crash-and-burn the same way Cats did, so I do think DEH will somewhat help Universal’s reputation when it comes to musicals."

And if it helps their musical reputation, there will certainly be more hope if Wicked finally comes to fruition.

[dangeresque49]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 10:05pm

Cats used to be bad but it still is too!

Platt being so old is just distracting. Why did they feel the need to include him? Like he wasn't going to be the reason this was successful or not. Cast someone younger that younger people who haven't seen this show can more identify with. That is one of the main points of the show, This is one of the few shows where I think going younger every few years really does have a benefit. Even as an aging viewer I want to see someone closer to the target age group take this on and be successful. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 9/7/21 at 11:37pm

"Why did they feel the need to include him?"

Is.... is that a joke?

[MCW1227]

Posted: 9/9/21 at 8:19am

I didn’t see Platt on Broadway when I saw DEH and I loved it!  I think like all film versions of Broadway musicals, they’re more concerned with casting stars than just letting the play itself be the star. IMO, the story stands on its own and didn’t need to cast a star who is clearly not even close to a teenager to recreate a role.  There are plenty of talented actors out there that could have made this work.  Hopefully, this film version does justice to the story, but I’m holding my breath. 

[Wick3]

Posted: 9/9/21 at 9:25am

I'm glad Ben Platt is in the movie and am very excited to watch it!!!! The only thing I wish they kept was his haircut back when he played in Evan on stage. The Buddy elf hairstyle look in the movie was an odd choice for me but am no expert.

I tried to look back and here's a clip of Ben Platt singing DEH in 2015 (skip to 1:55 when he starts singing.) I think that hairstyle was fine.

 

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 9/9/21 at 12:11pm

Here is my prediction of exactly what’s going to happen when this movie comes out:

Gen Z and Young Millennials will love it and cry and tweet about it,
It’s going to be received like the movie of “The Fault in Our Stars” and “Love Simon” it’s gonna speak to them and work for them. 
I mean the story screams YA. 

Everyone else will feel like- eh it’s fine and the casting of Ben Platt is distracting while he does do a good performance. Kaitlyn Dever will get the most praise.

Critics are gonna be mixed about it. Say Ben Platt’s performance on Broadway was much more effective. Say the mental health element is reductive.

Articles will come out with very intense angry hot takes about the problematic stuff.

The only oscars will be for one of the new songs. 
 

It’s ultimately gonna be considered a mid tier, forgettable movie musical adaptation with some die hard young fans.

Updated On: 9/9/21 at 12:11 PM

[jlindsey865]

Posted: 9/9/21 at 1:49pm

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "Here is my prediction of exactly what’s going to happen when this movie comes out:

Gen Z and Young Millennials will love it and cry and tweet about it,
It’s going to be received like the movie of “The Fault in Our Stars” and “Love Simon” it’s gonna speak to them and work for them.
I mean the story screams YA.

Everyone else will feel like- eh it’s fine and the casting of Ben Platt is distracting while he does do a good performance. Kaitlyn Dever will get the most praise.

Critics are gonna be mixed about it. Say Ben Platt’s performance on Broadway was much more effective. Say the mental health element is reductive.

Articles will come out with very intense angry hot takes about the problematic stuff.

The only oscars will be for one of the new songs.


It’s ultimately gonna be considered a mid tier, forgettable movie musical adaptation with some die hard young fans."

I totally agree with this prediction.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 9/9/21 at 4:13pm

5:30 PM is when the first screenings at TIFF happens, so keep an eye out for first reactions afterwards.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 9/9/21 at 6:02pm

While channel surfing last night, they had a trailer.  He didn't look that bad.  Granted, whenever he was on screen, the scene moved quickly.  But still, it really didn't distract me.

[Det95]

Posted: 9/9/21 at 9:38pm

coming from a theatre site I feel like this doesn’t bode well. 
https://www.theatermania.com/new-york-city-theater/reviews/review-dear-evan-hansen-movie-is-so-drab-so-banal_92717.html

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/9/21 at 9:46pm

Deadline: "So how does the film, which opened the Toronto Film Festival on Thursday night, stack up against the stage adaptation? Well, it stands somewhere in between Rob Marshall’s Chicago (a very good film adaptation of a Broadway play), and Rob Marshall’s Into the Woods (a very bad film adaptation of a Broadway play). Dear Evan Hansen works well enough to be enjoyable, and ends right before it begins to wear out its welcome."

3.5 / 5 from CinemaBlend.com: "Tony Award winning star Ben Platt is back as the title character, and truly manages to shine in this emotionally exhausting drama." Supporting cast members are underused, and the story is improved with more inclusion and a new ending

 

Updated On: 9/9/21 at 09:46 PM

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 9/9/21 at 9:47pm

Det95 said: "coming from a theatre site I feel like this doesn’t bode well.
https://www.theatermania.com/new-york-city-theater/reviews/review-dear-evan-hansen-movie-is-so-drab-so-banal_92717.html"

Ouch. I'm seeing mixed to negative reviews on twitter. Not that that means anything, but could be telling. 

[Musical Master]

Posted: 9/9/21 at 10:08pm

On Twitter there are a mixture of positive, mixed and negative reviews while the critics seemed to like it fine enough with TheaterMania being the negative one out so far. TorontoNOW liked it fine but pointed out that Julianne Moore "speak-sings" her song "So Big, So Small" which is quite a shame to hear.

Judging from this, I'd say it might turn out to be like Les Miserables back in 2012, a polarizing movie musical that has everybody split up in their opinions. Some loving it, some feeling meh, some really hating it.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 9/9/21 at 10:17pm

Twitter doesn't matter and Julianne is not a singer. Everyone knows that. Amazing actress though.

What matters is box office numbers at the end of the day.

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 9/9/21 at 10:24pm

Sutton Ross said: "What matters is box office numbers at the end of the day."

Tell that to Ben Platt's Oscar campaign. 

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 9/9/21 at 10:32pm

Pretty positive review from The Wrap:

https://www.thewrap.com/dear-evan-hansen-film-review-ben-platt-movie/

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 9/9/21 at 10:40pm

Deadline, with a review so poorly written, it's hard to take seriously:

‘Dear Evan Hansen’ Movie Review: Ben Platt In Universal Musical Adaptation – Deadline

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 9/9/21 at 10:54pm

Empire Online offers a mixed review, 3 out of 5 stars. It praises the ''strong songs,'' but concludes Ben Platt ''gives a strangely stage-y performance; he also simply looks too old to be a convincing teenager (he’s 27). He’s strong in song, not so much elsewhere — much like the movie as a whole.''

https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/dear-evan-hansen-2/

Updated On: 9/9/21 at 10:54 PM

[Musical Master]

Posted: 9/9/21 at 11:11pm

Scott Menzel gives it an 8 out of 10, calling it: "one of the most authentic musical adaptations in a long time".

https://weliveentertainment.com/welivefilm/tiff-2021-review-dear-evan-hansen-challenges-audiences-stigma-mental-health/

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 9/9/21 at 11:12pm

Oh, there is no question he is giving a stagey performance. It's so obvious with the very long trailer. Which is fine with me but may bother some people.