Is Dear Evan Hansen a True Story?
by Indhu | Updated Aug 28, 2023
Is Dear Evan Hansen A True Story?
Dean Evan Hansen is loosely based on a true story. The essence of "Dear Evan Hansen" is loosely intertwined with Pasek's personal involvement in a mishap that unfolded in his high school situated in the suburbs of Philadelphia. This incident pertained to an unintended overdose suffered by one of his fellow students.
The musical takes this experience and expands on it, exploring the themes of social anxiety, suicide, and grief. The story follows Evan Hansen, a high school student with social anxiety who writes a letter to himself every day. When a classmate, Connor Murphy, commits suicide, Evan's letter is found in Connor's pocket. Evan takes advantage of this situation and lies to Connor's family and friends, claiming that he and Connor were best friends.
The musical has been praised for its honest and nuanced portrayal of mental illness and suicide. However, it has also been criticized for its portrayal of Evan, who some have seen as manipulative and self-serving.
Dear Evan Hansen
The 2021 American coming-of-age musical film "Dear Evan Hansen," helmed by director Stephen Chbosky, is brought to life through a screenplay penned by Steven Levenson. The screenplay draws its essence from the stage musical of the same name, a collaborative creation by Levenson, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul.
The central role of Evan Hansen is portrayed by Ben Platt, who reprises the character he originally brought to life on stage six years prior. The ensemble cast includes notable names like Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, Nik Dodani, Colton Ryan, Danny Pino, Julianne Moore, and Amy Adams.
Having its debut at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2021, "Dear Evan Hansen" marked its premiere as the opening night presentation. The film subsequently hit theaters in the United States on September 24, 2021, distributed by Universal Pictures.
However, the film's performance at the box office fell short of expectations. Critical reception leaned towards the negative spectrum, with a substantial amount of critique aimed at the decision to cast Ben Platt, who was 27 at the time, as a high school student.
This casting choice was seen by some as being influenced by nepotism, due to the involvement of his father, Marc Platt, as a producer on the project.
Additional criticism was directed at the film's direction, screenplay, departure from its source material, and portrayal of mental health issues. Nevertheless, within this critical backdrop, some commendation was reserved for the supporting cast's performances, offering a silver lining amid the mixed reception.
Where to Watch Dear Evan Hansen?
The movie "Dear Evan Hansen" is available for rental on several different platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu. If you prefer, you can also choose to buy the movie on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, or Vudu.
This gives you a range of options to enjoy the film according to your preference, whether you want to rent it for a temporary viewing or purchase it for a more permanent addition to your collection.
Dear Evan Hansen Cast
Character
Actor/Actress
Evan Hansen
Ben Platt
Zoe Murphy
Kaitlyn Dever
Alana Beck
Amandla Stenberg
Jared Kalwani
Nik Dodani
Connor Murphy
Colton Ryan
Larry Mora
Danny Pino
Heidi Hansen
Julianne Moore
Cynthia Murphy
Amy Adams
Oliver
DeMarius Copes
Gemma
Liz Kate
Leila
Zoey Luna
Rhys
Isaac Cole Powell
Skye
Marvin Leon
Cherise
Hadiya Eshe
Naomi
Julia Chen Myers
Josh
Gerald Caesar
Isabelle
Avery Bederman
Mr. Howard
Swift Rice
Greg
Tommy Kane
Librarian
Aimee Garcia
Mrs. G.
Mariana Alvarez
Dear Evan Hansen Plot
Seventeen-year-old Evan Hansen grapples with the weight of social anxiety and depression. His therapist suggests a therapeutic exercise of writing self-affirming letters, focusing on why "today will be a good day." In a bid to help him make friends, his mother, Heidi, advises him to ask classmates to sign his cast after he breaks his arm falling from a tree. Evan's broken arm becomes a window of opportunity for social interaction.
At school, Evan follows his therapist's advice and starts writing a letter to himself, contemplating whether anyone would notice his absence from the world ("Waving Through a Window").
Unexpectedly, his classmate Connor Murphy, who has his own struggles, offers to sign his cast in a rather dominating manner. Discovering Evan's self-addressed letter, Connor becomes enraged when he reads about Evan's affection for his sister, Zoe.
Mistakenly thinking Evan meant to provoke him, Connor storms off with the letter. Tragically, three days later, Evan is informed that Connor has taken his own life. In a twist of misunderstanding, Connor's parents, Cynthia and Larry, believe the letter Evan wrote was a suicide note addressed to Evan, signed by Connor himself.
Invited to the Murphy household for dinner, Evan faces pressure from Cynthia and decides to fabricate a friendship between himself and Connor. He concocts a story about an orchard visit they never actually had, cementing his lies with fabricated emails with the help of his family friend, Jared ("Sincerely, Me"). Zoe, Connor's sister, is left bewildered by her brother's supposed inclusion of her name in the suicide note.
As the Murphy family struggles with their grief, another classmate named Alana, who shares similar social difficulties with Evan, proposes "The Connor Project" to keep Connor's memory alive.
They plan to kick it off with an assembly. Evan delivers a speech at the assembly, sharing a fictionalized account of his friendship with Connor and their orchard adventure. The speech goes viral, becoming a beacon of hope for people dealing with mental health issues ("You Will Be Found"). Zoe, moved by Evan's words, expresses gratitude.
Evan and Alana collaborate on a crowdfunding campaign through The Connor Project to reopen the orchard. Amid this, Evan becomes increasingly absorbed in the Murphy family's life, distancing himself from his own mother, therapy, and his true responsibilities. His relationship with Zoe turns romantic as well. Heidi, Evan's mother, rejects financial aid from the Murphys, highlighting her pride.
Doubts about Evan's relationship with Connor arise in Alana's mind. To counter this, Evan sends Alana his therapy letter, passing it off as Connor's suicide note. Alana shares it online, aiming to boost The Connor Project's funding ("The Anonymous Ones (Reprise)").
However, her actions backfire as the internet questions why Connor would address a suicide note to Evan and not his family, accusing the Murphys of neglect. Although Alana removes the letter from social media, it's too late—the damage is done.
In a heated argument between Cynthia and Larry, Evan finally confesses the truth. Despite their heartache, Connor's parents decide to shield Evan from the consequences, still seeing him as a surrogate son. Evan's relationship with Zoe ends, and he finally admits to his mother that his arm injury was actually a suicide attempt.
Heidi expresses remorse for not recognizing Evan's pain and discusses how his absent father affected him ("So Big/So Small"). Determined to take responsibility, Evan records a video confessing the truth and uploads it.
Isolated once again, Evan takes solace in Connor's favorite books and reaches out to people who genuinely knew him. He receives a video of Connor playing music in rehab, which he shares with the Murphys, Alana, and Jared ("A Little Closer").
Eventually, he meets Zoe at the newly reopened orchard dedicated to Connor's memory. They reconcile, with Zoe explaining that she wanted Evan to see the orchard, a place Connor truly cherished. Evan pens a letter to himself, promising to be honest and not hide, urging himself to move forward in life ("A Little Closer (Reprise)").
Dear Evan Hansen Netflix
"Dear Evan Hansen" is a 2021 drama with a maturity rating of U/A 16+. The movie has a runtime of 2 hours and 17 minutes. The storyline revolves around a high school teenager who becomes ensnared in a complex falsehood. It all begins when a letter he penned to himself becomes tragically misconstrued as a farewell note left by a fellow schoolmate who had taken his own life.
The cast features notable actors such as Ben Platt, Kaitlyn Dever, and Amandla Stenberg. Ben Platt takes on a prominent role in the film. Kaitlyn Dever and Amandla Stenberg are also part of the talented ensemble cast.
In the movie, the protagonist's life takes an unexpected turn when his personal letter takes on a life of its own, leading to a series of misunderstandings and intricate emotional dilemmas. As the story unfolds, it delves into themes of identity, connection, and the ripple effects of a single misstep.
With its exploration of complex human emotions and interpersonal relationships, "Dear Evan Hansen" offers a thought-provoking narrative that resonates with audiences. The film captures the challenges faced by young individuals in navigating the complexities of their lives and the weight of their decisions.
Dean Evan Hansen Trailer
Is Dear Evan Hansen A True Story - FAQs
Dean Evan Hansen is loosely based on a true story. However, it draws inspiration from a real-life incident that affected the musical's composer, Benj Pasek, during his youth.
The film stars Ben Platt as Evan Hansen, Kaitlyn Dever as Zoe Murphy, and Amandla Stenberg as Alana Beck, among others.
You can watch "Dear Evan Hansen" by renting it on platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu. It's also available for purchase on these platforms.
The movie follows Evan Hansen, a high school teenager with social anxiety, who becomes entangled in a web of lies after a letter he wrote to himself is mistaken for a suicide note from a classmate who passed away.
The film delves into themes of mental health, loneliness, identity, and the impact of misunderstandings.