The musical drama 'Dear Evan Hansen', known for its emotional portrayal of mental health struggles, is now available to stream on BBC iPlayer. The film, based on the Tony and Grammy Award-winning stage musical, follows a high school student with social anxiety who becomes entangled in a web of lies after a classmate's suicide.
Starring Ben Platt as the titular Evan Hansen, alongside Kaitlyn Dever and Colton Ryan, the film has garnered mixed reviews since its 2021 release. Some fans praised its emotional depth and music, while others felt the story worked better on stage. Despite the controversy, many viewers have described it as a 'tearjerker' and a 'must-see' for music lovers.
On Rotten Tomatoes, one viewer wrote: 'Grab your tissues... cause Dear Evan Hansen is one heck of an emotional ride.' Another added: 'Super emotional movie and music is incredible.' However, some critics noted that the film adaptation fell short of expectations, with changes to songs and execution drawing criticism.
The film's synopsis reads: 'High school misfit Evan lies to comfort a grieving mother, telling her of a friendship with her late son that never existed. The falsehoods soon escalate, bringing Evan benefits - but emotional highs only give him further to fall.'
Viewers have also highlighted the film's powerful message about mental health, with one Google reviewer stating: 'It’s a beautiful story about social anxiety and the consequences of desperate poor choices, with heart wrenchingly beautiful songs.'
