Movie Review: 'Cyrano' Starring Peter Dinklage

Cyrano stars Peter Dinklage as Cyrano De Bergerac, legendary swordsman, soldier and wordsmith. Set in France in the 1600s, Cyrano finds our hero pining for his oldest friend, Roxanne (Haley Bennett) while she pines for a newly arrived soldier in Cyrano’s regiment. Christian De Neuvillette (Kelvin Harrison Jr) is a wide eyed new recruit who spots Roxanne in a crowd at the theater and shares a long romantic glance that each mistake for love at first sight. So powerful is this look that Roxanne arranges to meet with Cyrano to ask her friend to arrange their romance.

Though it pains him to do it, Cyrano begins to coach Christian on how to woo Roxanne. However, when Christian proves to be foolish with words, Cyrano begins writing love letters on his behalf. The letters are filled with passionate prose dedicated to feelings for Roxanne that go well beyond the kind of first love fascination one has at first sight. Nevertheless, the letters work and Roxanne begins to believe that she has fallen in love with Christian through his passionate letters, even after their first in-person meeting goes horribly.

Meanwhile, though she is very much in love with Christian, via Cyrano, Roxanne is the target of a nasty upper crust rich guy. Character actor extraordinaire, Ben Mendelsohn is unrecognizable under a powdered wig and foppish French makeup as De Guiche, a Duke with designs on Roxanne and a searing hatred for Cyrano. De Guiche and Cyrano are in a blood feud after Cyrano killed a member of De Guiche’s entourage who had insulted Cyrano’s height and mastery as both a wordsmith and warrior.

That is the most famous and memorable part of Edmond Rostand’s legendary play, a battle of wits between Cyrano and a bully. In the original play the conflict came as the man insulted Cyrano’s very large nose. Here, the insults are hurled at the stature of Cyrano as played by Peter Dinklage. The change translates seamlessly from nose jokes to height jokes as Cyrano schools his bully on the many more clever ways he might have insulted Cyrano. It is as if Cyrano the writer and wit was more offended by the lack of wit in the insult than the insult itself. This translates to Cyrano coming up with a laundry list of insults far better, and much funnier, than the one that inspired the fight.

The biggest innovation on this famed scene is director Joe Wright’s decision to play this part in song. Yes, this version of Cyrano is a musical and Peter Dinklage sings in this moment. Well, he talk-sings, but it is musical and it is very entertaining. Dinklage may not be the most natural singer but he more than makes up for that with his confident and clever delivery. Dinklage has a naturally soulful voice and he evokes the emotion of the music so well that any flaw in the voice is made up for in emotional impact.

Haley Bennett is a far better singer and her first song is a lovely way to introduce music into the story of Cyrano. Someone to Say is a beautiful song of soaring emotion and lyrics that evoke the longing of a deeply romantic soul. That is one thing Cyrano gets right as a musical, the emotion. Fault other aspects of the music and presentation of Cyrano but the emotion in each song is powerful. Whether it is Dinklage’s soulful, aching, jealousy and self-loathing or Bennett’s gorgeous, wide-eyed romance, the emotional beats of Cyrano hit and hit hard.

One musical sequence has had a few people talking as it is a seeming departure from the story that doesn’t fit with the rest of the movie. Singer Glen Hansard, beloved for the indie film Once and that movies traveling stage show, shows up in Cyrano to sing a song called Wherever I Fall. It’s a complete departure from the rest of Cyrano because none of the main characters of Cyrano are part of the song. Three completely different characters present the song and that is a rather jarring departure. That said, the song, which is about soldiers narrating letters home on the day they expect to die in a bloody war, is incredible. Hansard’s voice is beautiful and the sentiments of romance, longing, fear, and unending love are deeply moving.

It’s fair to question Joe Wright’s choice to depart from his main characters and story for this moment but, for me, the moment worked. The song and the performance lend gravity to the love triangle which reaches a crescendo following this scene. It also lays the groundwork for the ending which is another divisive and jarring departure from expectations. The ending will leave a lot of audiences cold and I agree, I didn’t like the ending either. That said, I understand where that ending makes sense in the larger story of this version of Cyrano, but I don’t have to like it.

The ending feels a little cowardly if I am being completely honest. But I won’t spoil it here, I do like this movie and I do recommend it. Cyrano is mostly a very entertaining and romantic movie filled with a wide array of emotions and characters you care about. And, of course, the amazing Peter Dinklage. There is nothing this man can’t do. Dinklage is extraordinary in Cyrano. His wit, his way with words, his soulful heartache over the love he’s convinced he can never have is extraordinary to watch. Dinklage is a heartbreaker and Cyrano is a lovely showcase for this remarkable actor, one of the very best working today.

Cyrano opens in theaters on a limited basis on January 28th with plans for a wide release in February.