Movie Review: Cyrano

Peter Dinklage delivers a star turn as the stature-afflicted gentleman poet/soldier title character in director Joe Wright’s adaptation of Edmond Rostand’s stage production, Cyrano.  

Although the film is essentially a tale of unrequited love at first sight, wherein Roxanne (Haley Bennett) and Christian (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) are the characters initially enchanted by one another. But it is Cyrano and his long un-acknowledged love for Roxanne that thrusts the story forward at every turn. Whether dazzling with his skill with the sword or his mastery of wordplay, Cyrano is essentially a man ahead of his time. But, due to his physical stature, Cyrano feels himself unworthy of the love of the women he has loved since childhood, Roxanne. 

So, to ensure that Roxanne is availed of the love she deserves and desires, Cyrano agrees to assist Christian with his overtures toward her as Christian proves to be a far less accomplished wordsmith than Cyrano. Thus, he allows Christian to make use of his words of love for Roxanne to convince her of Christian’s passion and desire for her despite the young man’s inability to do so himself. It is a selfless act that showcases his love for Roxanne and resonates throughout the film. 

Peter Dinklage and Haley Bennett in “Cyrano.”

Director Joe Wright does a miraculous job keeping all the pieces of the story moving effectively as its no small feat to do so with the bountiful characters and overlapping storylines intertwining with one another, and then adding the element of the film being a musical to the mix. Screenwriter Erica Schmidt, to whom star Dinklage is married, adapted Rostand’s stage play (with music by Bryce Dessner and Aaron Dessner) and there is no loss of dramatic heft in the translation. While Dinklage may not prove to not be among the strongest singers in the cast, his performance and belief in himself allows his portrayal of the character of Cyrano to reach heights that it has rarely been afforded. 

Seamus McGarvey’s cinematography gives the film a classical look that feels plucked from the lavish musicals of older Hollywood. This blends effortlessly with Sarah Greenwood’s production design and the splendid costumes by Massimo Cantini Parrini and Jacqueline Durran (who costumed Bennett) to create a radiant and colorful film. 

Although Cyrano may inevitably be tied to star Peter Dinklage and his remarkable portrayal of the title character, it is the timeless nature of the story and the romantic ideal that make the film soar on its own. 

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Mike Tyrkus

Editor in Chief at CinemaNerdz.com

An independent filmmaker, co-writer and director of over a dozen short films, the Editor in Chief of CinemaNerdz.com has spent much of the last three decades as a writer and editor specializing in biographical and critical reference sources in literature and the cinema, beginning in February 1991 reviewing films for his college newspaper. He was a member of the Detroit Film Critics Society, as well as the group's webmaster and one-time President for over a decade until the group ceased to exist. His contributions to film criticism can be found in Magill's Cinema Annual, VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever (of which he was the editor for nearly a decade until it too ceased to exist), the International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, and the St. James Film Directors Encyclopedia (on which he collaborated with editor Andrew Sarris). He has also appeared on the television program Critic LEE Speaking alongside Lee Thomas of FOX2 and Adam Graham, of The Detroit News. He currently lives in the Detroit area with his wife and their dogs.

@miketyrkus

Mike Tyrkus

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