3 Ways the Dear Evan Hansen Movie Lives Up to the Original Musical and 2 Ways It Falls Short

As the audience learns how Evan broke his arm, the film uses flashbacks to paint the picture. First, the flashbacks show Evan happily climbing up a tree to see the skyline, but toward the end of the film, when Evan sings "Words Fail," things take a darker turn, as we learn he actually jumped off the tree rather than fell.

Why it helps the adaptation: Since the musical uses linear storytelling, Evan's fall is detailed in past tense through song or dialogue. However, the movie is able to expand on that moment by actually showing what happened. The scene is even more emotional in the movie since it's intertwined with Evan's performance of "Words Fail," which is undoubtedly the most dramatic performance of the entire show.