Dear Evan Has-been

The Casting Choices 

For starters, lots of fans had something to say about Ben Platt, Broadway's original Evan Hansen, coming back to reprise his role in the film. Many said that this 28-year-old actor playing a 16-year-old made the movie feel fake and that he no longer looked like a teenager. Platt responded to the criticisms on Twitter, stating, “Were I not to do the movie, it probably wouldn't get made.” He went on to claim that without him there would’ve been no movie. Fans did not react to this response well. Many people agreed that this was a highly narcissistic response and plenty of other actors could have filled Platt’s shoes. Kaitlyn Dever, Platt’s co-star, simply responded to all of the criticism by saying in an interview, “Have you seen how old the actors are in Grease?,” explaining that ageing up actors is a common skill in the filmmaking world. 

Evan’s Portrayal 

Many spectators also said that the movie victimized Evan too much. They felt that over the course of the movie, he became the antagonist, so he should have had higher consequences for his unwarranted actions. He completely lied to thousands of people throughout the film, and in the end, he faced no true disciplinary actions and just carried on with his life. Fans of the story wished to see him learn a deeper lesson and earn back more respect from the people he hurt. 

Music Selection

Many were also disappointed with the song selection. One of the most iconic, yet gut-wrenching songs in the original stage musical, “Good For You,” was cut (along with many others) and its disappearance left die-hard fans unsatisfied. Taking this beloved song out and replacing it with new ones sincerely did not do the comical aspect of the original justice and left this scene bare. 

Personal Opinion 

The overall vocals were unimpressive compared to the Broadway show, but the worst part was the acting. With big names in the acting community such as Amy Adams, Amandla Stenburg, and more, you would expect a more emotional and heartfelt performance. I felt as if the acting was cliche and subpar. With a 30 percent Rotten Tomatoes rating, I think the film adaptation should be forgotten. Sometimes it's best to just leave things on the stage where they belong.