MOVIE REVIEW: CYRANO

 

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: February 25, 2022

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+

MOVIE REVIEW: DARKEST HOUR

During the early days of World War II, the fate of Western Europe hangs on the newly-appointed British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who must decide whether to negotiate with Hitler, or fight on against incredible odds.

Director: Joe Wright

Release Date: Nov 22, 2017

Cast: Gary Oldman, Lily James, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn, Stephen Dillane

Rated PG-13 for some thematic material

Runtime: 2 hr. 5 min.

Genres: Biography, Drama, History

Review:

Joe Wright’s Darkest Hour is a perfectly solid historical drama that’s buoyed by an impressive turn by Gary Oldman.  Wright’s movie hits most of the basic points of interest as he covers roughly a month of Winston Churchill’s life as he ascends to the role of Prime Minster as Hilter’s forces close in on Britain.  As such, it makes for an interesting companion pieces to Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk.  While that film dealt the soldier’s point of view this film is far more concerned with the political landscape that Churchill was dealing with as he took office.  It’s catnip for history buffs even though everyone knows how it ends.  Still, it’s a fascinating situation to examine considering how badly the odds where stacked against the UK.  Wright does a solid job of providing a glossy accounting of darken close quarter rooms where major decisions were being made in the face of impending doom.  The film, though, wouldn’t work nearly as well if it wasn’t for a stellar turn by the film’s star Gary Oldman who disappears into make up and character.  This isn’t the first time Oldman has lost himself into characters behind make up, most memorably in Dracula and an underrated and nearly forgotten turn in the Silence of the Lamb sequel Hannibal.  This film is clearly Oldman’s showcase, so much so that some of sequences might as well have the words “For your Consideration” emblazoned along the bottom of the screen.  Thankfully Oldman doesn’t disappoint as he delivers one of the best performances of his career in a long while.  He’s had better roles in the past but this type of biopic seems ready made for award season. 

B+