The year of the musical continues after a year of fantastic films such as In the Heights, tick, tick…BOOM!, and West Side Story. Our newest entry into the genre is Cyrano, a romantic musical drama based on writer Erica Schmidt’s musical, based on the 1897 Edmond Rostand play Cyrano de Bergerac. The movie stars Peter Dinklage as Cyrano, a man with ferocious wordplay and brilliant swordplay who believes his appearance renders him unworthy of the affections of the beautiful Roxanne (Haley Bennett), as she falls in love at first sight with Christian (Kelvin Harrison, Jr.).
The best way to describe Cyrano is that it’s a film that feels so Shakespearean and romantic in its story. The characters are dressed in beautiful old costumes, but their emotions are timeless. You feel every emotion the characters feel, with the main character of Cyrano being afraid to confess his love for Roxanne. Her desire to be valued and loved is relatable to many, as is Christian’s love for Roxanne hampered by his inability to put it into words.
Schmidt does an excellent job of developing every character and making them feel grounded despite the elaborate setting. Much of the reason the film works is Joe Wright’s direction, who has proven himself to be a hit-or-miss director in the past, but he has arrived with a hit, as this movie lands all of its emotional notes. His passion for the story shows in the elegant direction of the film.
Wright also approaches the musical sequences with a unique style. Many musicals have elaborate, well-choreographed musical numbers with dancing and large ensembles. However, the songs in this movie are quieter and more peaceful. They are all excellent, and Wright makes the wise choice not to dress up his musical numbers too much, allowing the audience to cling to every lyric and feel the emotions radiating off the characters.
The cinematography perfectly matches the film’s tone, with the deliberately crafted frames resembling beautiful paintings. It’s a visually appealing film with beautifully tragic performances. Dinklage gives a career-best performance as Cyrano, a role he tackles with so much nuance and skill. You feel his emotional connection to the character written by his wife seeping through the screen, and every member of the supporting cast matches his abilities.
While the film’s third act could have been stronger, the places the characters go are fascinating. It’s a relentlessly romantic movie with a tragic element throughout the film. This is a movie that the hopeless romantics should experience because the chemistry and conflict between every character is nothing short of mesmerizing.
SCORE: 7/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 7 equates to “Good.” A successful piece of entertainment that is worth checking out, but it may not appeal to everyone.
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