Cyrano de Bergerac dazzles everyone with his ferocious wordplay and brilliant swordplay. However, he's convinced his appearance renders him unworthy of the affections of the luminous Roxanne, a devoted friend who's in love with someone else.
Director: Joe Wright
Cast: Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr. Ben Mendelsohn, Bashir Salahuddin, Monica Dolan
Release Date:
Genre: Drama, Musical, Romance
Rated PG-13 for some strong violence, thematic and suggestive material, and brief language
Runtime: 2h 4m
Review:
Joe Wright's adaptation of the stage musical of the same name is lavish, heartfelt with an undercurrent of melancholy running throughout its runtime. Wright stages some wonderfully choregraphed sequences paired with songs and lyrics by The National. The song's lyrics lean more wistful than overtly romantic utilizing a variety of approaches from spoken word to more operatic. The majority of the songs aren't instantly memorable but Someone to Say and Wherever I Fall do leave a lasting impression. Peter Dinklage and Haley Bennett reprise their roles from the stage play, bringing a familiarity and confidence to their roles. The pair shares a tangible sense of chemistry that makes their relationship feel real and grounded. Dinklage carries the film with relative ease by delivering a performance that's self assured, honest and ultimately heartbreaking. He's the most interesting performer onscreen for the majority of the film even if his singing voice isn't the best. Haley Bennett's performance is hindered by an underwritten role but her singing voice is lovely enough to overlook some of the script's deficiencies. Kelvin Harrison Jr suffers a similar fate with his character's songs being better than his story arch. Issues aside Cyrano is a solid movie musical take on this classic story elevated by a central performance from Peter Dinklage.
B+
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