The breathtaking, generation-defining Broadway phenomenon becomes a soaring cinematic event as Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award winner Ben Platt reprises his role as an anxious, isolated high schooler aching for understanding and belonging amid the chaos and cruelty of the social-media age.   Based on: The stage musical by Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul.

See below for more on Platt, an established musician who has recently released a new full length album, and has a US tour in the works.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW

If you didn’t get a chance to see the Broadway production, here’s your opportunity to catch this wonderful, heartwarming story on the big screen at the theatres, or smaller screen at home. Ben Platt reprises his role as Evan Hansen, the insular teenager that has trouble expressing his feelings to anyone. His therapist has him writing letters to himself, basically citing that he’s going to have a great day, and all will be rosy, which we all know isn’t that simple for anyone suffering from depression, anxiety, or any other form of mental distress.

One day a printed copy of his letter gets into the wrong hands of another outcast from school, Connor, whom Evan is kind of crushing on his sister, which the letter was in reference too. A sort of love letter of thoughts. Anxious that Connor is going to expose Evan’s insecurities online, he keeps checking for it to appear, until one day he’s called into the principal’s office to the surprise of Connor’s parents being there and telling Evan that Connor committed suicide. They then show Evan his letter to Connor’s sister, thinking it was written to Connor. This is where things begin to spiral out of control for shy and awkward Evan.

Connor’s parents want to know more about their son they never really knew, so Evan ends up making up stories to make them feel better. He soon becomes part of their family, bringing him closer to the one he really loves. In the end, the truth is revealed, but to reach that point is a beautifully written story about being a teen in this day and age, with all the trials and tribulations of growing up and making mistakes.

It’s definitely a feel-good movie that’s needed during these times, think something along the lines of Glee.

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Stephen Chbosky (The Perks of Being A Wallflower, Wonder), the film is written for the screen by the show’s Tony winner Steven Levenson with music and lyrics by the show’s Oscar®, Grammy and Tony-winning songwriting team of Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman). 

Featuring Grammy winning songs, including the iconic anthem “You Will Be Found,” “Waving Through a Window,” “For Forever” and “Words Fail,” Dear Evan Hansen stars six-time Oscar® nominee Amy Adams, Oscar® winner Julianne Moore, Kaitlyn Dever (Booksmart), Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give), Colton Ryan (Apple TV+’s Little Voice), Nik Dodani (Netflix’s Atypical), DeMarius Copes (Broadway’s Mean Girls) and Danny Pino (NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit). 

DEAR EVAN HANSEN – Available September 24, 2021 from Universal Pictures.

Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | #DearEvanHansenMovie

Platt recently released his eagerly awaited new album. REVERIE, available from Atlantic Records HERE. Platt will mark the arrival of REVERIE with his biggest North American headline tour to date, set to kick off February 23, 2022 at Orlando’s Amway Center culminating with the tour finale on April 8, 2022 at Los Angeles’s legendary Hollywood Bowl. Among the tour’s indisputable highlights will be Platt’s first ever headline show at New York City’s world-famous Madison Square Garden, set for March 6, 2022. There are no Canadian dates announced as yet. For complete details and ticket availability, please visit www.benplattmusic.com. A limited number of exclusive VIP Packages are also available. Packages include an amazing selection of reserved seated tickets, custom merchandise and more.

In addition, Platt performed a very special YouTube live stream performance from Los Angeles which can be streamed HERE and another a show-stopping performance on NBC’s TODAY as part of their 2021 Citi Music Series, streaming now HERE. He’s also been a guest on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers, the live season finale of NBC’s The Voice, the nationally syndicated Kelly Clarkson Show (streaming HERE), and CBS’s The Late Late Show with James Corden (streaming HERE). Additional TV appearances will be announced soon.

Platt’s much anticipated second solo album, REVERIE includes such extraordinary new singles as “Happy To Be Sad” and “Imagine,” both available now on all digital platforms. Produced by Michael Pollack (Justin Bieber, Katy Perry) and Zach Skelton (Jonas Brothers, Paul McCartney) with additional production from GRAMMY® Award nominee Gian Stone (Maroon 5, Dua Lipa), “Happy To Be Sad” was met with applause from Billboard, which raved, “On ‘Happy To Be Sad,’ the singer beautifully illustrates the portrait of a lover having to leave his significant other for a while, and simply reveling in the sadness as a source of pure joy. It’s a confusing emotion to describe until you hear Platt’s cherubic vocals sing the words – then it feels like it’s happening to you right in this moment.” “Happy To Be Sad” is joined by an official companion visualizer, streaming HERE.

“Imagine” arrived earlier this summer and has fast proven one of Platt’s biggest singles to date. Produced by The Monsters & Strangerz and Jon Bellion – the superstar team behind such hits as Maroon 5’s “Memories,” Justin Bieber’s “Holy,” and “Prisoner” by Miley Cyrus Feat. Dua Lipa – and co-written by Platt with Bellion, Michael Pollack, Alexander Izquierdo, Jordan K. Johnson, and Stefan Johnson, the track now boasts over 20M worldwide streams and counting. Hailed by Rolling Stone as “tender and confident… a tribute to everyday saviors,” “Imagine” reached #7 on iTunes’ “Top Pop Songs”, to the “30 Hot AC Hit” list, and the top 50 on Spotify’s “US Viral 50” while also lighting up Hot AC Radio outlets nationwide. An official music video, directed by Matty Peacock (Billie Eilish, Shawn Mendes, Selena Gomez), is streaming now via YouTube HERE.

Platt followed “Imagine” with a series of creative reworks including the stripped-down “Imagine (Acoustic)” (available HERE) and the mesmerizing “Imagine (Tiësto Remix)” an unprecedented collaboration with GRAMMY® Award-winning, platinum-certified, international icon Tiësto available HERE; an official visualizer is streaming HERE.

What’s more, Platt recently unveiled a spectacular cover of Lady Gaga’s classic “Yoü And I,” featured on her newly released BORN THIS WAY 10th anniversary celebration, BORN THIS WAY: REIMAGINED. The track earned raves from such major outlets as Billboard, which wrote, “Ben Platt is the one artist here with the Broadway vocal chops to match Gaga – but instead of aping Gaga’s rock ‘n’ roll swagger, he brings out the tenderness…Love songs are the bread and butter of pop music, but the truth is, it’s hard to be this sincere and vulnerable, to sing with no armor at all. Ben Platt makes it feel utterly natural.” An official music video is streaming now HERE.

“Imagine” represented the first new music from Platt since 2019’s “So Will I, available HERE. Produced by multiple GRAMMY® Award-winner Finneas (Billie Eilish, Halsey, Camila Cabello) and applauded by Rolling Stone as “moving, inspiring…a powerful new ballad,” “So Will I” is featured on the deluxe edition of Platt’s acclaimed debut album, SING TO ME INSTEAD. The expanded collection also includes live material recorded during Platt’s sold-out 2018 headline show at New York City’s legendary Radio City Music Hall, filmed for the concert special, Ben Platt Live From Radio City Music Hall, which streamed exclusively on Netflix.

SING TO ME INSTEAD proved a full-fledged sensation upon its March 2019 release, amassing over 337M global streams and earning applause from fans and critics alike. A truly multi-faceted actor, singer, and all-around performer, the album saw Platt making a remarkable arrival as a solo recording artist and a songwriter, co-writing all of the album’s 12 songs. Highlights include “Bad Habit,” “Ease My Mind,” “Grow As We Go,” and “Temporary Love,” all of which are joined by official music videos streaming HERE. 

The winner of the 2017 Tony® Award for “Best Leading Actor in a Musical” for his performance as Evan Hansen in the smash hit, Dear Evan Hansen, Platt also received a GRAMMY® Award for his role on Atlantic’s DEAR EVAN HANSEN (ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST RECORDING and a 2018 Daytime Emmy Award for his part in the cast’s powerful performance of “You Will Be Found” on NBC’s TODAY. Platt will reprise his role as Evan in the Dear Evan Hansen film, set for release on September 24th; watch the official trailer HERE.

Platt’s evolving body of work also includes memorable roles in the TONY® Award-winning original Broadway production of The Book of Mormon, the blockbuster films, Pitch Perfect and Pitch Perfect 2, and the acclaimed Netflix series, The Politician which earned him a Golden Globe nomination for “Best Actor in a Comedy,” among many others. Platt – who recently made a guest appearance on FOX’s The Simpsons, began filming Merrily We Roll Along with Beanie Feldstein directed by Richard Linklater which will be shot over the course of twenty years.  He will soon be seen in BJ Novak’s anthology series, The Premise, a new comedy-drama coming to FX and Hulu; plus begin production on the film, The People We Hate At The Wedding alongside Kristen Bell and Allison Janney.

 

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.