Dear Evan Hansen (film)

Dear Evan Hansen is a 2021 American teen musical drama film directed by Stephen Chbosky, based on the 2015 stage musical of the same name by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. The screenplay was written by Steven Levenson, who also wrote the book for the stage musical.

The film follows Evan Hansen, an anxious, isolated high school student with social anxiety disorder, who writes a therapeutic letter to himself as an assignment from his therapist. The letter is mistakenly taken by classmate Connor Murphy, a similarly troubled and misunderstood individual. After Connor's suicide, his parents find the letter and, believing it was written by Connor's only friend, begin to connect with Evan. Emboldened by the attention and longing for connection, Evan perpetuates the lie, crafting elaborate stories about his supposed friendship with Connor. The story explores themes of grief, mental health, social media, and the importance of authentic connection.

Ben Platt reprises his role as Evan Hansen from the Broadway production, alongside Julianne Moore, Amy Adams, Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, Nik Dodani, and Danny Pino.

The film was released in theaters on September 24, 2021, by Universal Pictures. It received generally negative reviews from critics, who criticized its casting choices, particularly Platt’s age and appearance, and its handling of sensitive themes. The film was also a box office disappointment.