Hadestown: The Musical movie review by Movie Review Mom

MOVIE TITLE: Hadestown: The Musical

This live theater-capture of the hit musical Hadestown (which won 8 Tony awards in 2019) comes to theaters for 5 nights only on July 24, 2026.

RATING: PG-13 (For mature thematic elements and suggested brief violence)

LENGTH: 2 hours 21 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: A

Featured Product About This Movie:

Mythology (75th Anniversary Illustrated Edition): Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes – on Amazon at https://amzn.to/43B6ZWv

IN A NUTSHELL:

An absolutely spellbinding “proshot” cinematic capture of the legendary West End stage mounting, brilliantly reunites the five iconic original Broadway principal cast members. Written by Anaïs Mitchell and directed by Rachel Chavkin, this theatrical event masterfully intertwines two tragic tales from Greek mythology: the desperate love story of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and the complicated, industrial-era marriage of King Hades and Goddess Persephone. Set in a dystopian, Great Depression-inspired underworld, the story pulses with an infectious, genre-defying score that seamlessly blends New Orleans jazz, blues, and modern American folk music.

The film was directed by Brett Sullivan. The performance was filmed at the Lyric Theater in the West End in New York City.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

• Mature Themes: Depictions of poverty, starvation, commercial exploitation, and worker subjugation in a hellish industrial setting.

• Suggested Violence: The underworld is portrayed as an oppressive sweatshop; characters experience intense psychological manipulation, dread, and sudden loss.

• Alcohol Use: Multiple scenes feature characters drinking wine and acting heavily intoxicated to cope with their reality.

• Language: Very mild language, but emotionally intense themes of despair and hopelessness may be scary or difficult for younger children to parse.

THEMES:

• Faith vs. doubt
• Love vs. fear
• The destructive clash between mechanical industrialization and the vibrant rhythms of nature
• Economic desperation vs. idealistic art
• The power of music
• The eternal, human willingness to sing a beautiful song of hope even when we already know exactly how the tragedy ends.

THINGS I LIKED:

• The Definitive Cast Reunion: Getting to witness André De Shields’ smooth, Tony-winning performance as Hermes was a fan favorite in the audience. Listening to Tony-nominee Patrick Page’s terrifyingly deep, rumbling bass as Hades is an absolute privilege. The fact that Patrick Page had to do the show in a surgical boot on his foot after rupturing his Achilles was so impressive. Tony-nominee Amber Gray’s quirky sizzle and solo number were such a treat! Tony-nominee Eva Noblezada and Reeve Carney anchor the emotional core beautifully.

• Cinematography and Direction: Director Brett Sullivan does an extraordinary job capturing the electric atmosphere of the Lyric Theatre. The camera placement honors Rachel Chavkin’s staging while offering stunning, intimate close-ups that theatergoers could never see from the balcony. The facial expressions of the entire cast can be seen clearly and make an impact.

• Unrivaled Audio Mix: The rich acoustic blend of the live instruments, particularly the roaring trombone and haunting strings, retains its raw, theatrical energy while sounding crisp and balanced on film.

• The Fates & Workers: The harmonies of the Fates are hauntingly precise, featuring Bella Brown, Madeline Charlemagne, and Allie Daniel. On top of that, they play musical instruments on stage! The choreography of the West End ensemble workers brings a crushing weight to the factory numbers.

• Sweet Emotion: The cast did a fantastic job evoking cheers and tears from the audience and me.
• Outtakes: We get to see some behind-the-scenes footage before and after the show. I always love that.
• Creative set design: The set remains the same, yet introduces various moving elements that take you on a journey.
• Music: The soundtrack is emotive and powerful.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

• Stage to Screen Translation: For viewers who expect a traditional Hollywood movie with realistic locations, the continuous “sung-through” folk-opera format and stationary stage sets might take some getting used to. If you don’t like musicals, skip it. If you love them, you’re going to love this.

• Orpheus’s Staging Adjustments: A few of Orpheus’s high-falsetto vocal choices are highly stylized and may polarize audiences who prefer a more traditional musical theater belt.

FUNNY LINES:

• “The weather ain’t the way it used to be… lines are crossed, the seasons are mixed up. Mind you, that’s not natural disaster. That’s a marriage on the rocks!” – Hermes

• “Anybody want a drink?” – Persephone (bursting with suitcases of contraband summertime moonshine)

INTERESTING LINES:

• “To the world we dream about, and the one we live in now.” – Orpheus

• “Cause the walls go up and the headers come down, and you find yourself in a hole in the ground.” – Hades

• “To know how it ends, and still to begin to sing it again, as if it might turn out this time.” – Hermes

MOVIES LIKE THIS YOU ALSO MIGHT LIKE:

• Hamilton (the 2020 Disney+ live stage capture):  https://amzn.to/3QOanua
• Waitress: The Musical (2023 live theater capture)  https://amzn.to/4aFqVeD
• Les Misérables:  https://amzn.to/49yqZgc 
• Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge!  https://amzn.to/4fQiuke

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