IndieWire gives it a D grade, saying: "Poor directional choices and iffy musical choices ruin a film that could've resonated, thanks to its timely subject matter".
Thematically, I think this replaces "Disappear", as Alana speaks about anonymity within the community as a whole, before zooming in on herself for a verse, further expanding her thin character as shown in the stage version. The repeated refrain of "The parts we can't tell, we carry them well / But that doesn't mean they're not heavy" shows that her character - among others - has cracks beneath the surface that she chooses to hide, and without her "wall of achievements", she asks herself, "is she worth anything at all?". Very eager to see Alana's full character scope.
DEAR EVAN HANSEN: VERY bad. We must throw Ben Platt in movie jail and revoke his Tony for this all-time bad performance, but let Julianne Moore arrest him because she’s the saving grace in this poorly realized and tone-deaf trainwreck that hits much differently on screen #TIFF21
DEAR EVAN HANSEN: sometimes Broadway musicals don’t translate to film. Universal did it with CATS and they did it again with this. Major difference is that CATS is camp and this is an offensively messy dumpster fire that might as well be supervillain musical origin story. #TIFF21pic.twitter.com/VIHKeHolgI
Look, I will NEVER take away what so many people get from Dear Evan Hansen and what it means to them. But its foundation is irreparably broken in a way that not even Stephen Chbosky’s talent for capturing adolescence nor this great cast can fix. #TIFF21pic.twitter.com/WAUVhGwRey
Undoubtedly the worst musical I have ever seen. Overwrought and emotionless at the same time. Borderline offensive about trauma and mental illness. It’s like it spun a wheel of trauma a hundred times and added every option. Jail to everyone. pic.twitter.com/1sBMyJupfe
DEAR EVAN HANSEN: VERY bad. We must throw Ben Platt in movie jail and revoke his Tony for this all-time bad performance, but let Julianne Moore arrest him because she’s the saving grace in this poorly realized and tone-deaf trainwreck that hits much differently on screen #TIFF21— Jason (@jasonosia) September 10, 2021
DEAR EVAN HANSEN: sometimes Broadway musicals don’t translate to film. Universal did it with CATS and they did it again with this. Major difference is that CATS is camp and this is an offensively messy dumpster fire that might as well be supervillain musical origin story. #TIFF21pic.twitter.com/VIHKeHolgI— Rendy Jones @ #TIFF21 (@Rendy_Jones) September 10, 2021
Look, I will NEVER take away what so many people get from Dear Evan Hansen and what it means to them. But its foundation is irreparably broken in a way that not even Stephen Chbosky’s talent for capturing adolescence nor this great cast can fix. #TIFF21pic.twitter.com/WAUVhGwRey— Dancin' Dan @ #TIFF21 (@dancindanonfilm) September 10, 2021
Undoubtedly the worst musical I have ever seen. Overwrought and emotionless at the same time. Borderline offensive about trauma and mental illness. It’s like it spun a wheel of trauma a hundred times and added every option. Jail to everyone. pic.twitter.com/1sBMyJupfe— Karl Delossantos @ TIFF 2021 (@karl_delo) September 9, 2021
I would give my reaction to DEAR EVAN HANSEN but I don't want to be banned for insensitive language. #TIFF2021— Robert Daniels @ TIFF (@812filmreviews) September 10, 2021
YIKES"
Ok but to be fair, you only posted the negative tweets. There were lots of positive ones. I’d say reviews and reactions are genuinely mixed.
I saw the show on Broadway, and I don't get why this show is so popular. Truly. I don't get it. The character is a **** human who does a **** thing and then we praise him? Also, to add, the physical production is downright cheap and garbage. There's not a regional theater in this country who could not put on a better production. Happy for all the people this show employed, but nah. It ain't it, sis.
RippedMan said: "I saw the show on Broadway, and I don't get why this show is so popular. Truly. I don't get it. The character is a **** human who does a **** thing and then we praise him? Also, to add, the physical production is downright cheap and garbage. There's not a regional theater in this country who could not put on a better production. Happy for all the people this show employed, but nah. It ain't it, sis."
RippedMan said: "I saw the show on Broadway, and I don't get why this show is so popular. Truly. I don't get it. The character is a **** human who does a **** thing and then we praise him? Also, to add, the physical production is downright cheap and garbage. There's not a regional theater in this country who could not put on a better production. Happy for all the people this show employed, but nah. It ain't it, sis."
100% agree.
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "
Dolly80 said: "Oh wow this is getting som truly awful reviews. Starting to think it could actually damage the stage shows reputation also."
Yeah I’m worried about that. Even worse is that the lead who was so praised onstage is getting torn down as well, though he’s also getting legitimate praise in several reviews at the same time.
The original show and Platt’s detractors have been trying to turn this into a punchline since the first trailer, but given the crappy advertising for this, I’m hopeful that the mainstream public will soon forget about this film. It’s not like Cats where it’s being pushed everywhere, there’s very little attention surrounding the film, and all of it is coming from theatre audiences. And sort of like Phantom, at least it has the critically acclaimed Broadway version still running to remind people why they liked it in the first place.
Anyway, it’s extremely irritating seeing mentions of Julianne Moore having a small role. Her part was the second biggest on Broadway, and easily the strongest supporting character. The fact that they cut down they apparently cut down the part so much is an awful decision. In fact, the adult angle seems heavily downplayed here, as all but one of the adult’s songs have been cut (Requiem’s still there, but that’s primarily led by a teen). Doesn’t help that the one they left in occurs right near the end, which tells me we go almost the whole thing without the older perspective that really helped the story onstage.
I thought since they announced the film though that the whole thing was questionable, as the show was written wasn’t cinematic at all, and the team assembled for the film didn’t seem like they’d be able to properly change that. Almost definitely would’ve just been better to release a pro shot.
There is something so validating about reviewers recognizing on a larger scale How icky this show has always made me feel.
I think Dear Evan Hansen exists for teens to connect with and then grow out of when they realize ultimately the “You Will Be Found” anthemic element coexists with so much emotional manipulation Evan is doing. Young people see a high school musical but- “deeper”
or like that show “13 Reasons Why”
and the writers wanted their cake and eat it too. They wanted to feel like they’re advancing the conversation while relying on the “lie narrative” trope to create plot.
The definition of contrived. The writers don’t put into consideration the level of trauma this would actually have on a family being this level of lied to.
"So how does the film, which opened the Toronto Film Festival on Thursday night, stack up against the stage adaptation? Well, it stands closer to Rob Marshall’s Into the Woods (an adaptation of a Broadway play), meaning it’s terrible. Dear Evan Hansen could have been enjoyable, but there are too many glaring problems that can’t be ignored for the sake of entertainment...
"The film’s stars are good singers, particularly Amandla Stenberg, who has a commanding voice that stands out because she sounds natural and is the only one not pretending she’s performing at the Music Box theater in New York. The music arrangements are solid, but why does every single song start with the actor singing in a hushed, monotone voice that goes up and down until it’s time to belt those notes out? Was that a creative choice for the film, or is that how it is in the show as well? Either way, it’s frustrating to sit through that for nearly 2.5 hours."
I only watched the trailer, which looks like a Mr. Show sketch.
"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
~ Muhammad Ali