Zane's take at the Cinema's

If the name Cyrano de Bergerac doesn’t ring a bell, then you have nothing to be ashamed of. On the other hand, if you’re a film fan or just a massive consumer of theatre, then you have no to blame but yourself. While there was a real Cyrano de Bergerac, the “character” was then fictionalized in a play simply titled Cyrano de Bergerac written by Edmond Rostand in 1897. The basic premise of Cyrano de Bergerac is about a strong, courageous and thoughtful nobleman (who also serves as a solider) named Cyrano de Bergerac. Aside from him having a true talent in the world sword dueling, Cyrano has a beautiful and poetic way of writing poetry unlike any other man. The only problem he faces a physical appearance of his that separates himself from other men, and that’s that his nose is oddly large, which makes him loose doubt in himself. All this uncertainty creates a wall on his love and affection for the beautiful and intellectual Roxanne.

That’s been the overall premise for the various adaptations that have been that are based on Rostand’s original work. The most famous one is the 1987 romantic comedy Roxanne, starring Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah, where Steve Martin played a character Charlie “C.D.” Bales (a version of Cyrano) in a modern interpretation of the original play. That was 35 years ago and ever since then there hasn’t been any strong or memorable adaptation of the play, or frankly none that stick out if there have been any. However, in 2018, there was a stage play adaptation of it with Peter Dinklage as the dashing Cyrano de Bergerac and Haley Bennett as the spectacular Roxanne, who were then brought back for the film adaptation simply titled Cyrano. Sure enough, this newest adaptation of Cyrano is an embellishment of riches. Cyrano is a beautiful, charming and stimulating musical with great songs, an enchanting score and an embellishment of a classical romance and heartfelt moments that resonate with all of us. Peter Dinklage dominates the screen with his gutting and overpowering performance that it’s a damn shame that he was severely overlooked for this years nominees for best actor. 

Cyrano offers the same story and same beats that any of the other interpretations have had, but instead of the character of Cyrano having an unusually shaped nose, the character in this adaptation is shunned off due to his height. So in order for him to develop a romantic spark with Roxanne, Cyrano offers his talent and skills to a man named Christian de Neuvillette, in hopes to bring them closer together.

We all love Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones and even as the little angry elf from the Christmas classic Elf. Peter Dinklage is exceptional talent whether it’s his work in film or on TV. Dinklage, being famously known as an actor, has never been known as a singer or even a performer in theatre, which he’s had a brief experience with. Even with the hesitance of an actor with no real experience in the realm of singing, Peter Dinklage is phenomenal in this role. Almost like how Johnny Depp starred in Tim Burton’s first go at a musical with Sweeney Todd, Dinklage pulls off the musical cues like silk wood. That’s not to say he’s a sensational singer but for this role and in this environment, Dinklage does a commendable job standing his ground with other performers who are also in the same boat who still do great work.

The performance that Peter Dinklage delivers is easily the best he’s given since his time on Game of Thrones. This is a character that’s tailor made to be monumentally sympathetic because of his physical appearance but something about Dinklage’s presentation is both hypnotizing and broken, more so that any other portrayal in the past. It’s a shame that Dinklage’s performance was overshadowed by this years best actor nominees, and no disrespect to them but Dinklage deserves to be in the mix. As far as the rest of the cast goes, particularly the performance from Haley Bennett. This is an actress who’s really only had smaller roles and nothing that’s transcended her career to super stardom. Not only is her chemistry with Peter Dinklage terrific, this is by far the best performance of her career and really shows the range she has and even the surprising talent she has as a vocalist. Their level of chemistry they have is in the vein of the relationship that Cary Elwes and Robin Wright had in the classic The Princess Bride. Their was magic, spark and something that felt almost hauntingly genuine.

A story like Cyrano, having been told in a variety of adaptations, is one that can fit in any generation with the right execution. Take for example A Star is Born. They’ve remade it four separate remakes that share the same story but tonally feel different than each and when we got to the 2018 remake, it reminded us how powerful and profound a story like that can still be after decades and decades that go by. No matter how many time Cyrano has been remade, this is a story that can still move us and still have us walking out of the theater with deep thoughts and the feels. Joe Wright has nailed his efforts with romance in films like Pride & Prejudice, Anna Karenina and Atonement and he’s also crushed it by delivering excellent dramatic period pieces with Darkest Hour. So have him mix with both of those genres, with a large dose of musical infusion, might be tough battle but Joe Wright created a world that felt otherworldly.

It’s a pity that Cyrano got only one Oscar nomination for best costume design, which is a terrific aspect of the movie. The overall scope of this movie sweeps you right up on your feet with a level of romance that feels enchanting. Aside from the breathtaking songs and its emotional resonance, the music from Aaron and Bryce Dessner is miraculous and gives it an extra layer of authenticity. The performances from Peter Dinklage and Haley Bennett their strongest and most complex ones yet and it proves that remakes, reimaginings or reboots can still work.

My grade for Cyrano: A