DEAR EVAN HANSEN Movie Musical - News & Discussion Thread — Page 9

RippedMan said: "And I think that's why so many of us simply don't care. It's just a money machine for Ben to win awards and stuff. Barf. Pass."

This. Times ten.

Also, the trailer is even more overwrought than the wig.

I would like to preface my comments by saying that I have nothing against Ben Platt. I did not see his performance of the role onstage but, thru clips of the show and in reading the comments of those who did see his performance live, agree that he was very deserving of all the accolades and awards that were bestowed on him. That being said, I hope that his casting in the film doesn't turn out to be it's biggest downfall. It could be a real problem judging by many of the comments here, that even some of those who were his biggest fans feel that his appearance here is distracting to the point of lessening the impact of the whole message of the story. As someone previously said was no one paying attention to the dailies? Did they do no camera tests before they began production? If the wig was an effort to make him look younger could nobody see that it was going to be more of a distraction? And his makeup ... in some of the close-ups his makeup looks like it's been caked on ... once again most likely to cover up signs of his very noticeable facial hair. Yes, I get it that there are 16/17 yo's with facial hair like that, but when the whole message a movie is trying to convey depends on the audience buying into the character's youth and innocence you can't always use "the real world" as a reference. If these are feelings that are surfacing already at this stage from what are pretty much fans of the show what kind of response can be expected from the general public? Will they be moved by the film as so many were by the stage show or will it end up being just another "teen angst movie"? I feel bad for Ben if the role that brought him so much acclaim ends up turning on him with so much negativity towards his casting in the film.

OUCH!

Platt on stage was one of the most effective performances I've ever seen. But the artifice that works on stage doesn't often translate to film. He looks like he is "acting", self-consciously overwrought. Ouch.

Add to that the GLARING age issue, and this looks just plain painful.

Dollypop said: "I can't believe how social media is taking the film over the coals thanks to a 3 minute trailer. Good grief!"

A trailer is supposed to put its best foot forward. This trailer fell on its ass...

HenryTDobson said: "
Trailers are also supposed to get people talking about the movie. It succeeded there."

Yeah, the Cats trailer did that too and it's just as unappealing here as it did there for entirely different reasons...

Like if the point is to get people talking they didn't want them to talk about how off putting the entire thing is which is exactly what's happening...

SweetLips22 said: "I must need cataract surgery. I watched the preview. Never seen the show, knew some of the music but not the story.

In the few minutes that I saw I accepted Ben Platt physically, however old he is supposed to be and his hair looked as if it belonged.

I will judge the whole thing as the credits role at the end."

I have seen him in the show. I had the same reaction you did. I think they did a good job of making him look younger. The hair works and he looks as if he lost a little bit of weight for the film.

I am just wondering when they will release a second trailer featuring another production number. You almost don't know this is a musical with this trailer. JMO

I wasn't bothered by Ben's look in the trailer. I interpreted it as an attempt to make him look younger and it worked for me. He reminds me of kids I went to high school with (and of myself), awkward and who could easily disappear in a crowd. I'm looking forward to the film and seeing if my opinion holds.

Twitter is having fun with this, and maybe Twitter is right. But my first reaction was not, "Too old to play a high schooler." Yeah, it's a stretch, but Platt in his Pitch Perfect movies looked older than his age from photos I've seen today.

Besides, teenagers have been played 20-somethings forever.

I have decidedly mixed feelings about the stage production, and I also think what worked for Platt in a theater might come across as insufferable in a film. And whatever tweaks are planned to change the ending a bit, I do think the flaws inherent in the show will be all the more glaring in a movie. It was one of those shows I enjoyed well enough at the Music Box, in part because of the performances, but it kind of falls apart when you think about it later.

That said, Dear Evan Hansen was a major hit for a reason. Twitter and this board isn't the real world. Most people don't know the story and aren't going to obsess over whether Platt is too old for the part. His performance, and the movie, will either work or it won't.

But I'll concede this: The wig isn't good.

dramamama611 said: "Some of you are simply miserable people. It's fine that you don't like Platt, the show, the trailer..but the lengths at which you go to show how you are so much better than others is, frankly, quite sad. No matter what they showed you, you would have castrated."

Literally, also in your post:

If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

Updated On: 5/19/21 at 07:27 AM

Fagnes Gooch said: "dramamama611 said: "Some of you are simply miserable people. It's fine that you don't like Platt, the show, the trailer..but the lengths at which you go to show how you are so much better than others is, frankly, quite sad. No matter what they showed you, you would have castrated."

Literally, also in your post:

If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts."

What Im referring to isn't 'discussion' its tearing down of people. VERY different.