Cyrano - A Movie Review

How do I get Roxanne to notice me? I will swoon her with my letters.

Cyrano is a 2021 film. Cyrano, a man with dwarfism, is in love with Roxanne. Only she doesn’t love him back. Sharing feelings for her too, Christian asks Cyrano for his help. Writing romantic poems for Roxanne, each man is in a battle to woo her heart.

Cyrano was criminally overlooked by the Oscars this year. I had a wonderful time seeing this film in theaters. We need more movie musicals. A lovely film, Cyrano talks about how one should never let insecurities get in the way of love stories.

Peter Dinklage is a wonderful actor. In the titular role, Dinklage is given a chance to showcase more of his exemplary talents. Confident and with a poetic heart, Cyrano is invisible to the woman he loves. Dinklage has strong poetic diction. Musically, he fell flat in some moments but nevertheless, he recited beautiful poetry.

Each time I see her in a film, Haley Bennet is growing as an actress. Like Dinklage, Bennet also sings. Her voice was beautiful. Roxanne wants what most women of her time desire. Love. Not aware of everything in her life, we all learn a lesson about love for the better.

Dinklage and Bennet were excellent in all of their interactions. They’re actually reprising roles from performing an off-Broadway production of Cyrano in 2019. Both had moving emotional performances. I like the way they connected to these characters. The balcony scene was my favorite.

Kelvin Harrison Jr. was notable. I have not seen him in any other films. He did a great job in the role, especially working with Dinklage. Other credits include Ben Mendelson, Monica Dolan, Bashir Salahuddin, Joshua James, Anjana Vasan, and Ruth Sheed.

The dancing and musical numbers were different from what you’d usually see in musical films. It was slow but effective, matching the time period.

Visually, Cyrano is a stunning film. Costumes were the only element nominated at this year's Oscars. Filmmakers studied all the styles of the era along with hair and makeup. This is a beautiful film to admire all the locations. Sets were exquisite. Filming for Cyrano took place in Sicily.

One pivotal component from the original story was changed for this film. Originally, Cyrano has a large nose instead of dwarfism. I thought this was a significant modification. Society has changed. We have to give focus to social standards that deserve attention.

The third act of the film was slow. It felt like a different film. We lost focus of the main storyline, instead, going into a war scenario. The beginning was entertaining. Cyrano is about romance and insecurities. The war climax didn’t add depth to the story.

The film also has some inaccuracies of the time. Certain themes of Cyrano reminded me of other films, like Les Miserables and Romeo and Juliet.

Aside from that, Joe Wright brought audiences into his world of imagination. He worked well with the cast. I am also impressed with his direction of the musical elements. He captured the essence of the songs and their depths with enchanting cinematography. The songs are not memorable, but the one number that sticks out is ‘Where I Fall’.

Writers who adore poetry are sure to enjoy all the readings. Cyrano is all about embracing your passions. Always stay true to your heart.

Do not skip out on this film based on its storyline or that it’s a musical. This film deserves more attention. Find Cyrano in theaters and enjoy it.