Running time: 123 minutes
Starring: Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr, Ben Mendelsohn
Directed by: Joe Wright
The story: Though brilliant in many ways, Cyrano de Bergerac is convinced that his appearance means that the woman that he has long loved will never love him back and instead agrees to help her pursue another man.
The verdict: The story of Cyrano de Bergerac is no stranger to being shown on screen and director Joe Wright’s version is the latest adaptation to throw its hat into the ring. This version, written by Erica Schmidt, is based on Schmidt’s 2018 play, which in turn was based on the original 1897 play by Edmund Rostand.
Some audiences may be surprised to learn that Cyrano is actually a musical and certainly it feels very theatrical in both its staging and visuals. The musical numbers are engaging and performed well. However, when it comes to leaving a lasting impression, it is unlikely that cinema goers will leave the cinema with the lyrics ringing in their mind.
What will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on audiences is the incredible central performance from Peter Dinklage. Cyrano has a really good supporting cast, in particular it boasts great turns from Haley Bennett and Kelvin Harrison Jr, but it is Dinklage who absolutely shines. His empathetic performance perfectly portrays Cyrano’s love, longing and heartbreak and every emotion is etched on his face.
Cyrano is certainly a film that will appeal to the romantics and true love advocates in the audience, whilst those of a more cynical disposition may struggle with the giant emotions on display. A word of warning however - though a romantic musical may sound like it’s the type of feel-good film that will have audiences leaving the cinema with a grin, Cyrano is actually a profoundly sad film that is far more likely to have audiences shedding a tear than cracking a smile.
The rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half
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