Director Joe Wright has a history of appropriating great works of literature for his movies. His Pride and Prejudice and Anna Karenina demonstrate a healthy regard for the original material, while still infusing them with his own dreamy style. Wright's successful track record continues here with Cyrano. Acting as a reminder of his formidable talent, it stands beside his previous works by blending social commentary with an emotional kick.
Considered one of the most popular French plays, Cyrano de Bergerac has long thrilled audiences with its wit and eloquence since it premiered in 1897. But this is a Cyrano for a new century, and in our ultra-filtered Instagram age that demands physical perfection, this story could not be more timely, for isn't Cyrano the ultimate catfish?
Even casual viewers know this story, a love triangle based on deception, in which Dinklage's poet-soldier Cyrano, feeling unworthy of his beloved Roxanne, agrees to speak on behalf of his romantic rival, handsome cadet Christian. This is comedy and tragedy in grand style. The sets and costumes are over the top and sumptuous, the cinematography crisp, the acting first-rate. Haley Bennett, off a terrific performance in Swallow, is an ethereal Roxanne, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. gives the rakish Christian more depth than the character usually displays, but Peter Dinklage as Cyrano is the show here. You can't take your eyes off him when he is on screen. Gone is the prosthetic nose. His stature marks him as the outsider here. This is a musical, and he may not hit every note perfectly, but the performance he gives is nuanced and affecting. We feel his love for Roxanne, thrill to his swordplay, and appreciate the intellectual cynicism we see so prominently displayed. Cyrano's wit is as sharp as his sword. Like the two other great actors before him (1950 Jose Ferrer, 1990 Gerard Depardieu) Peter Dinklage gives what should be an award-winning performance.
The screenplay is by Erica Schmidt, Dinklage's wife, based on her off-Broadway musical from 2018, in which he starred. The songs by The Nationals are poppy and serviceable, with "Every Letter" being the standout. The pacing can be a little slow and the songs repetitive. At over two hours long, the film could have been a bit tighter.
Like the two iconic Cyrano's before it, director Joe Wright's unique adaptation gives a classic play a film it deserves. Sweeping the viewer up in waves of romance and heartbreak, it is well worth a look, if only for Dinklage's performance. A film for hopeless romantics, Cyrano rises to the challenge.
Patricia Pirillo