The movie is a musical drama based on the Broadway show of the same name. Evan Hansen is a high school student who struggles with social anxiety and is desperate to connect with his peers. After being assigned to write a letter to himself by his therapist, he ends up printing a letter he wrote to himself about his struggles, which also includes references to his classmate Connor, who committed suicide.
When Connor's family finds the letter, they mistake it for their son's suicide note, which leads to them believing that Evan and Connor were close friends. Evan sees this as an opportunity to finally feel like he belongs and to gain the affection of Connor's sister, Zoe, whom he has a crush on.
As the lie escalates, Evan becomes closer to the Murphy family and is faced with the dilemma of whether to continue the lie or come clean. The movie explores themes of mental health, grief, and friendship, as well as the impact of social media on human connections.
The film stars Ben Platt (who originated the role of Evan in the Broadway production), Kaitlyn Dever, Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, and Amandla Stenberg. The movie is directed by Stephen Chbosky and features music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.