Cyrano (2021)
Directed by Joe Wright
A man ahead of his time, Cyrano de Bergerac dazzles whether with ferocious wordplay at a verbal joust or with brilliant swordplay in a duel. But, convinced that his appearance renders him unworthy of the love of a devoted friend, the luminous Roxanne, Cyrano has yet to declare his feelings for her—and Roxanne has fallen in love, at first sight, with Christian.
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Director Joe Wright, of Pride & Prejudice and Anna Karenina fame, continues to deliver cinematic grace notes to otherwise literary fare: a swooping shot there to emulate the giddy thrill of romance; a crackling collage of mirrors here to establish the fragmented nature of perception when it comes to matters of the uncertain heart.
But Wright, whose best films have arguably been his classic adaptations (Anna Karenina, Pride & Prejudice) gives the familiar romance verve and newfound meaning, starting with the casting of Peter Dinklage in the title role.
Jump ahead another three decades and movie magician Joe Wright has reimagined another literary masterpiece, as he did with Anna Karenina and Pride & Prejudice .
After the promising releases of “Pride & Prejudice” and “Atonement,” director Joe Wright’s output could kindly be described as uneven.
The stage version of Cyrano , starring Peter Dinklage and Haley Bennett, premiered in 2018; both actors have returned for this film adaptation—directed, just to keep things super-intimate, by Bennett’s life partner, Joe Wright ( Pride & Prejudice , Atonement , Darkest Hour , etc.).
The British director has tackled literary adaptations ( Pride & Prejudice , Atonement , Anna Karenina ), true-story dramas ( The Soloist , Darkest Hour ), and action-adventure ( Pan , Hanna ) in his surprising and varied career.
You may remember it in Steve Martin’s Roxanne (1987), the French adaptation with Gérard Depardieu, who was nominated for an Oscar for his performance (1990), or gender switching The Ugly Truth starring Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler, (2009).
Dinklage doesn’t embarrass himself the way that, say, Russell Crowe did in Les Misérables ; he can carry a tune, and at times seems to be attempting a Berninger impression of sorts, which actually does help.
The set and costume designs are impeccable and look all the more glorious thanks to the brilliant cinematography by Seamus McGarvey (“We Need To Talk About Kevin,” “Nocturnal Animals”).