Many an opinion were expressed at the thought of casting twenty-seven year old Ben Platt as a high schooler. Some were fine, most were bad. It’s hard to deny that the sheer appearance of an actor who does not look even close to young enough for high school could absolutely tank a film before it ever releases, however, with Dear Evan Hansen that’s just not the case. Having a twenty-seven year old play an eighteen year old is the least of this film’s issues.
The issue-driven drama can be tricky. When effective, it can shine a light on a community facing continuous injustice through the power of storytelling on the biggest screen possible. When handled poorly, the results can be damaging instead, turning a real-life tragedy into a set of events that seemingly could only happen with a camera there to capture it. In many ways, Blue Bayou falls into both categories, as the heartfelt attempts to portray this story are commendable, but it often gets bogged down in its own melodrama.
Many awards vehicles have come and gone, each more stale than the last. Continually propping up a stellar leading performance that rises above a dull and tired story that audiences have seen a million times. Lately, those have seemed even more plentiful in the realm of Best Actress, where someone finds the tale of a famous woman from history and an actress due for awards recognition, slaps them together, and hopes for the best. However, The Eyes of Tammy Faye surprisingly isn’t that, offering more than just its actress to talk about.