Student Blog: The Movie Adaptation Debate Continues

After years of waiting and the build up of strong anticipation, the first movie trailer for the beloved Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen dropped earlier this week and there were both positive and negative reactions to the short clip. While the show remains on Broadway and draws in thousands of people for a live audience and millions around the world are fans of the musical, the adaptation of the story has been long awaited. While every person can connect to Dear Evan Hansen for a different, but very special reason, the film will most certainly be groundbreaking because for those who haven't been able to see the show on Broadway, the movie allows everyone to watch the heartfelt plot on screen.

There are only a few little problems.

While the excitement from theater fans is certainly evident, many were quick to notice certain aspects of the trailer and movie that could have been done a little better. The most glaring issue that was expressed mainly on social media was the choice to cast Ben Platt, the Original Broadway Cast member who played Evan when the show first opened, as Evan once again. Platt, who is now nearing thirty years old, doesn't exactly look the part anymore despite him being a fan favorite for a variety of reasons. Don't get me wrong, I love everything Ben Platt did in his role as Evan and even now within his music career, but for the sake of Evan's character and the musical's storyline, a better choice of casting should have been made.

And there are plenty of options as fans pointed out after the trailer was released. Andrew Barth Feldman, a nineteen year old from New York, played the role of Evan on Broadway for a year from January of 2019 to January of 2020. As arguably one of the most talented actors to hold the role and fitting the idea of a typical high school student, Feldman would have been the perfect pick for the musical's movie adaptation. In fact, although many love Platt for his work with the show, it's clear that Feldman would have been the preferred choice when it came to casting for the film. Although this isn't the end of the world and many will go see the movie due to their love of the musical in general, it was one of the most obvious issues and source of negative reception after the trailer was released.

As for expectations, the movie is set to wow everyone who watches. Like the Broadway show, the emotions attached to the storyline and characters are sure to be overwhelming and will draw anyone right in. And because the wait for this film has been so long, the excitement and love is already heightened than if the timeline was any quicker. For theater fans or the general public, the Dear Evan Hansen movie will definitely be loved and the center for debate on whether musicals should continue being adapted into films similar to Mamma Mia!, In The Heights and more.

Until September, brush up on your favorite songs from the musical and get ready for the movie that is going to bring the amazing story to millions.

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