Cyrano – Simply Amazing
Director: Joe Wright
Writer: Erica Schmidt (Screenplay) Edmond Rostand (Play)
Starring: Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr, Ben Mendelsohn, Monica Dolan, Bashir Salahuddin
Plot: Too self-conscious to woo Roxanne himself, wordsmith Cyrano de Bergerac helps young Christian nab her heart through love letters.
Tagline – Have you ever loved someone?
Runtime: 2 Hours 3 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Cyrano starts as the renowned poet Cyrano (Dinklage) finds himself being the talk of the town with his actions and words, until his one weakness, his love for Roxanne (Bennett) leaves him unable to speak the words he wishes to her.
When Cyrano learns that Roxanne has fallen in love with one of the soldiers in his regiment Christian (Harrison Jr), he will reluctantly help him win her heart, no matter how much pain it will bring him, it is anything to make sure she is happy.
Thoughts on Cyrano
Characters & Performances – Cyrano is a poet and soldier who will always make his impact in the city, he will challenge anyone who insults him, having heard everyone under the sun. Cyrano has one weakness, his love for Roxanne, the one person in his life that can change him, see him lost for words, being the motivation for his poetry. He helps a young guard win Roxanne’s heart, however much it pains him, he knows it would be best for her, rather than dealing with any judgment because of his differences. Roxanne is the woman who has been stuck in a society that expects her to be married soon, she is saying no to all suiters coming her way, until she meets Christian, love at first sight, with his words winning her heart on a level she would only accept in her life, not knowing Cyrano is the man behind the words. Christian is the young guard joining the regiment that Cyrano is part of, needed to be accept by him, because of his love for Roxanne, protect, guided and left to win the heart of the woman they both love. The performances from Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett and Kelvin Harrison Jr are fantastic, bringing to life the characters we want to spend more time with.
Story – The story here follows a poetry and soldier that is looked down upon in society for his actions and image, that will help a young soldier win the heart of the woman he secretly loves, using his words to win her heart, despite wanting her himself. This is a wonderful story about love and doing anything to make the person you love feel happy, even if it means you don’t end up happy yourself. It will have the message of showing how much people are willing to risk for love, while not risking everything will leave people in a position of being unsure of anything. There is also a message about people not being accepted as equal, showing how judgment will cause even more pain in life, no matter how easily people might shake it off.
Themes – Cyrano is a romantic musical playing into the ideas that certain standards would have been expected in a world where not everyone is treated equally and love isn’t the most important part of a partnership. The set designs and costumes are brilliant here, taking us into the world, letting us experience the journey going on. The music is an extra star, being filled with songs that will get stuck in your head for days to come.
Final Thoughts – Cyrano is an amazing movie filled with brilliant musical numbers and performances.