An honest and original story for the outsider in all of us.|Sep. 24, 2021|United States|131 Min.|PG-13
Genre: Adventure;Biography;Drama;Family;Music;Mystery;Reality;Romance
Description: “Dear Evan Hansen” (2021) is a film that tells the story of a teenager named Evan Hansen, who struggles with social anxiety. His therapist, Dr. Sherman, advises him to write daily letters to himself, highlighting positive aspects of each day. Evan’s mother, Heidi, encourages him to ask people to sign the cast on his arm as a way to make new friends.
The Murphy family, consisting of parents Cynthia and Larry and their children Zoe and Connor, faces their own struggles as their family begins to fall apart. Both Cynthia and Heidi grapple with how to connect with their sons, as depicted in the song “Anybody Have a Map?”
At school, Evan interacts Alana, a self-absorbed classmate, and Jared, his only family friend. Neither signs his cast. Later, Evan encounters Connor, who misunderstands Evan’s awkwardness and pushes him to the ground. Zoe, Connor’s sister and Evan’s crush, apologizes for her brother’s behavior. Evan grows increasingly lonely, questioning if he is destined to be an outcast forever, as expressed in the song “Waving Through a Window.”
In a letter to himself, Evan wonders if anyone would notice if he disappeared, his only source of happiness being his feelings for Zoe. When Connor discovers the letter, he becomes enraged, misinterpreting it as an attempt to mock him, and storms off with the note.
Days later, Evan learns that Connor has died by suicide, with Evan’s letter found in his pocket. Connor’s parents mistakenly believe the letter is a suicide note addressed to Evan. When Cynthia sees Connor’s name on Evan’s cast, her conviction deepens, leaving Evan in a state of intense anxiety over the situation.
Cast director: Stephen Chbosky
Cast actor: Ben Platt, Amy Adams, Kaitlyn Dever, Julianne Moore, Amandla Stenberg, Nik Dodani, Colton Ryan, Danny Pino, DeMarius R. Copes, Isaac Powell
Original name: Dear Evan Hansen