Cyrano (2021)

[SeanC]

Quote

Experience the greatest love story ever told. Watch the official trailer for Cyrano now, from director Joe Wright and starring Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. – in theaters this December.

This is based on a musical stage production created by Peter Dinklage's wife Erica Schmidt, with music by The National.  It's cool that Dinklage and his wife were able to bring their project to the screen.  It certainly looks like Wright is bringing his usual visual flair to the proceedings as well.

[Spartan Girl]

People are griping that Peter Dinklage is too good looking to play Cyrano. But swapping the nose in favor of making him a little person still works when you take into account the mindset of that time period.

In any case I love Peter, hell do a fantastic job and I need something to get the bad taste of GOT out of my mouth.

Edited October 14, 2021 by Spartan Girl

[Morrigan2575]

I was interested until they started singing. I don't know why but being a musical turned me off and I enjoy musicals. 

[Wiendish Fitch]

1 hour ago, Morrigan2575 said:

I was interested until they started singing. I don't know why but being a musical turned me off and I enjoy musicals. 

I wouldn't have minded so much if the music had been good, but the song they used sounded so banal, it put me off ever watching it. 

And in that embarrassingly overlong trailer... we don't get a clip of Peter Dinklage singing?! I mean, he's only the title character!

The movie looks pretty, and I like Joe Wright, but I will wait for this to come to streaming if curiosity gets the better of me. I sure as crap ain't paying to watch it.

[Spartan Girl]

8 hours ago, Wiendish Fitch said:

And in that embarrassingly overlong trailer... we don't get a clip of Peter Dinklage singing?! I mean, he's only the title character!

Seriously! And he is a decent singer; I saw a clip from his Sesame Street episode.

[Morrigan2575]

12 hours ago, Wiendish Fitch said:

And in that embarrassingly overlong trailer... we don't get a clip of Peter Dinklage singing?! I mean, he's only the title character!

 

4 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Seriously! And he is a decent singer; I saw a clip from his Sesame Street episode.

I was actually going to ask/wonder if he could sing, I think the only time I "heard" him sing was in Ice Age and, I recall thinking he wasn't that good. Granted he was doing a gruff voiced character so that might have contributed. 

Peter Dinklage is like James Marstarsfor me. I associate them so closely with the first character I saw them as (Tyrion Lannister and Spike from Buffy) that hearing their normal speaking voice...sans accent.. messes with me LOL

[TheOtherOne]

I saw the musical when it played in NYC a few years ago, or at least half of it. I left at intermission. I thought it was dreadful. The music in particular was grating and monotonous and if I'd had to sit through another minute of it I was likely going to scream. (And no, Dinklage could not sing. Unless being frog-voiced was another thing that was supposed to replace the nose as some sort of impediment. That would actually be sort of clever.)

The soundtrack is on Youtube for those who want a sample:

 

Edited October 15, 2021 by TheOtherOne

[paigow]

On 10/13/2021 at 8:59 PM, Morrigan2575 said:

I was interested until they started singing. I don't know why but being a musical turned me off and I enjoy musicals. 

Maybe if the title was Gaston

[xaxat]

On 10/15/2021 at 8:24 AM, TheOtherOne said:

I saw the musical when it played in NYC a few years ago, or at least half of it. I left at intermission. I thought it was dreadful. The music in particular was grating and monotonous and if I'd had to sit through another minute of it I was likely going to scream. (And no, Dinklage could not sing. Unless being frog-voiced was another thing that was supposed to replace the nose as some sort of impediment. That would actually be sort of clever.)

The soundtrack is on Youtube for those who want a sample:

 

Oh dear, I listened to song three, and he is struggling. 

[lasu]

I just saw this trailer in the theater and WAS SO EXCITED.  Then the singing started and I was completely out.  I'm a good for a musical, but this just wasn't it.  So disappointing because I think it could have been an excellent movie, but this isn't it.

[TheOtherOne]

Evidently the composers wrote a new score for the film to better match the vision of the director and reworked the songs. So there's a chance the music will be less terrible than the stage version! (Maybe they better tailored the songs to Dinklage's voice, since it seems unlikely he's suddenly able to sing.)

https://www.indiewire.com/2021/11/cyrano-original-score-oscar-national-1234678238/
 

Quote

 

Joe Wright’s “Cyrano,” starring Peter Dinklage and Hayley Bennett, based on the 2018 stage musical by Erica Schmidt (derived from the classic French play of unrequited love from Edmond Rostand), has surprisingly qualified for Best Original Score Oscar consideration. That’s because brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner, of the folk group The National, composed an original score separate from their theatrical score. Additionally, the Dessners reworked the songs for the movie as well, with lyrics from National frontman Matt Berninger and his wife Carin Besser.

Plus, “Cyrano” boasts two new Oscar-contending original songs: “Every Letter,” sung by Bennett, and “Somebody Desperate” (appearing over the end credits), an all-Nationals collaboration sung by Berninger, who wrote with Bryce and Aaron.

 

 

Edited November 9, 2021 by TheOtherOne

[Morrigan2575]

15 minutes ago, TheOtherOne said:

they better tailored the songs to Dinklage's voice, since it seems unlikely he's suddenly able to sing

I would think that being a movie would help to give him a better singing voice..miracle of the sound booth vs live. I mean it can only go so far, as anyone who watched Buffy Once More with Feeling can attest (poor AH and SMG)

[Spartan Girl]

Peter Dinklage performed one of the movie’s songs on Colbert. Just will leave this here:

 

[Shannon L.]

Oh dear. Maybe some auto tune and sound mixing will help?

[AngieBee1]

I saw the film and his voice has certainly been sweetened but not much. He doesn't sound like the lead singer from the Crash Test Dummies in the film unlike in this clip. He talk/sings. Bennett and Harrison Jr.are good singers.

[EtheltoTillie]

On 12/2/2021 at 2:15 PM, Spartan Girl said:

Peter Dinklage performed one of the movie’s songs on Colbert. Just will leave this here:

 

Ouch. 

[Spartan Girl]

Honestly I don’t care at this point. However he sings, he’s still going to act the hell out of the part.

[angora]

I know what you mean, @Spartan Girl. He's so good in the trailer, and when I realized halfway through that it was a musical, I was like, "Does Peter Dinklage sing? How much do I care?" He can Rex Harrison his way through the songs as long as we get that acting and Joe Wright's no-doubt sumptuous direction.

[Shannon L.]

Oh, no doubt the man is an amazing actor.  I will probably wait for the movie to come to a streaming service, but I am interested in it.

[Spartan Girl]

So the soundtrack came out today. I’ve listened to it, and you know what? I like Peter’s voice. Is it perfect? No. But it works because it’s soulful. I’d take him over Gerard Butler and Pierce Brosnan any day. Bennett and Harrison Jr. are great though. And maybe that’s kind of the point—Roxanne and Christian aka the pretty characters have great traditional voices while Cyrano has an imperfect voice that sets him apart from all the others? Or maybe I’m giving the writers too much credit?

Anyway, for all those that were turned off by it being a musical, the songs are pretty good.

Spoiler

That finale is going to kill me. Damn you Wishbone for duping my younger self into thinking this story had a happy ending!!!!

 

[TheOtherOne]

He doesn't sound as bad on the soundtrack as he did live. I think it helps that since he's not trying to project like he was in the theater, he's not pushing as hard, so he can simply act and go for the emotion. And I don't doubt they did what they could in the studio to sweeten the vocals (and the music sounds on the verge of drowning him out).

 

 

[Spartan Girl]

 

[chitowngirl]

I’ve seen a bazillion commercials for this lately. NOTHING about them indicates a musical. People will be very annoyed!!

[AimingforYoko]

I will add my voice to the chorus and say as a singer, Dinklage is one hell of an actor. (To be fair, Ben Mendelsohn wasn't much better.)

Haley Bennett on the other hand was luminous, in voice and appearance.

[Cress]

I saw the movie, and Peter is excellent as Cyrano, but the songs weren't very good. There's be one or two lines per song that were hummable, but the rest would be bleh and uninteresting. Also, it seemed like we'd get extraneous characters pop up like that at the bakery or the soldiers on the warfront, and they'd sing songs, but then disappear again. Like, it's hard for me to care about random people. And the movie never explained what happened to the Duke guy after the war, or why Roxanne was living at that church. Like, if she became a nun, why wasn't she dressed like the other nuns?

[RealHousewife]

On 12/10/2021 at 1:54 PM, Spartan Girl said:

So the soundtrack came out today. I’ve listened to it, and you know what? I like Peter’s voice. Is it perfect? No. But it works because it’s soulful. I’d take him over Gerard Butler and Pierce Brosnan any day. Bennett and Harrison Jr. are great though. And maybe that’s kind of the point—Roxanne and Christian aka the pretty characters have great traditional voices while Cyrano has an imperfect voice that sets him apart from all the others? Or maybe I’m giving the writers too much credit?

Anyway, for all those that were turned off by it being a musical, the songs are pretty good.

  Reveal spoiler

That finale is going to kill me. Damn you Wishbone for duping my younger self into thinking this story had a happy ending!!!!

 

The move was very pretty to watch, romantic and fast-paced. I also enjoyed the musical aspect, and sometimes I space off during musicals.

Peter did a great job, but I can see finding him too good-looking for the part. He's a shortie but a cutie. 

Spoiler

I loved the movie except for the ending. The audience I watched it with were all like "what, he died? that's it?" I wish Cyrano had at least confessed his love. There is a lesson though, don't let pride get in the way of love. 

 

[Spartan Girl]

Since it’s now on rental, I finally watched it last night. It’s very much a Joel Wright movie, pretty and with the slow motion sequences for the choreography. 

I stand by what I said: Peter’s voice was soulful, not perfect, and it worked. Will concede that he did sound better in the duet parts. Besides, he acted the hell out of the role, especially in the scene where he thought Roxanne was about to tell him that she loved him, only for her to reveal she was talking about Christian. His face was a masterwork.

Should he have told Roxanne from the start? Of course. Yet at the same time, I get why he didn’t for so long: what was he supposed to to when she said she had fallen in love with Christian? He loved her enough not to want to mess up their friendship. And it’s not as though his insecurities weren’t unjustified: when he asked her if she’d still love Christian if he were ugly, she was all “I couldn’t imagine him ever being ugly.”

If Cyrano’s tragic flaw was his pride, Roxanne’s tragic flaw was her romanticism. She wanted a dream guy that was smart and handsome, and didn’t want to settle for anything less. She told Cyrano that she needed Christian to be her perfect dream guy. Maybe that willful blindness accounts for why she couldn’t tell it was Cyrano speaking in the dark even though it was so fucking obvious. He didn’t even lower or disguise his voice! How could she possibly not recognize his voice when she’s known him for years?!?!

On that note, I really wish the movie had just let her figure it out on her own and that she was just waiting all that time for Cyrano to tell her. It would have given the tragedy an extra punch, not to mention made her less seem less dumb.

Poor Christian though. He was a perfectly nice guy; there’s nothing wrong with being shy or not that bright. It kind of feels like he was done dirty by Roxanne projecting all her ideals on him to the point where when he was himself in person, she automatically rejected him. Should have been a red flag to end the charade right there, but like Cyrano and Roxanne, he didn’t realize the truth til it was too late.

I hope this gets Peter more leading man roles. Something with a happy ending next time? Please?

[Cress]

On 3/11/2022 at 5:50 AM, Spartan Girl said:

On that note, I really wish the movie had just let her figure it out on her own and that she was just waiting all that time for Cyrano to tell her. It would have given the tragedy an extra punch, not to mention made her less seem less dumb.

I thought the movie did sort of suggest that at the final scene. When she says that Cyrano is reciting the letter from memory, and not reading it, she doesn't act shocked at the revelation; she's very flat in fact. And then later as they discuss she says something like "I knew" or "I loved you." I don't remember the exact dialogue. But if she'd already figured it out, then why didn't she try to say something after the war? Why was she still waiting on Cyrano to confess? It just felt very muddled. I'm also kind of annoyed by that random nun being aware of Cyrano not eating, yet Roxanne didn't notice him starving himself, even though she's getting regular visits from him. Like, why?

I knew that the original play had a tragic ending, but I'd hoped that Wright would have altered the ending to be happier, since this is a musical. I mean, the comedy version Roxanne with Steve Martin had a happy ending, but I guess Wright didn't want to Disney-fy this movie by letting Cyrano and Roxanne be together. Peter was wonderful, though, and I second the wish for him to get more leading man roles.

Edited March 12, 2022 by Cress

[Spartan Girl]

On 3/12/2022 at 4:34 PM, Cress said:

I thought the movie did sort of suggest that at the final scene. When she says that Cyrano is reciting the letter from memory, and not reading it, she doesn't act shocked at the revelation; she's very flat in fact. And then later as they discuss she says something like "I knew" or "I loved you."

The way I interpreted it, maybe she was starting to suspect, but didn’t really know until right then. And she seemed more angry than actually shocked. Regarding that line in the final song “I know who you are” meant that she never thought of him as a lesser man because of his height, that she loved him exactly the way he was—and unfortunately she hadn’t realized how much she loved him until those final moments.

Whatever plot holes the finale had, Peter and Haley nailed that last scene. I get emotional just thinking about it.

Edited March 18, 2022 by Spartan Girl

[thuganomics85]

Saw this on a bit of a whim (okay, mainly due to wanting to see Peter Dinklage in a lead role) and I enjoyed it flaws and all.  I liked the idea of retelling the classic Cyrano story but changing his big nose for Dinklage's height as the reason Cyrano thought he was a "monster" and not worthy of Roxanne's love.  Yes, I've heard all of the remarks about how Peter is clearly a good looking guy, but like with Game of Thrones, I still find it believable that there would be those who treat him horribly because of his height and he would become insecure because of it and it would drive him into a lot of self-doubt.  Besides, I can't even go into how many various films or television shows I've watched were I was made to believe that a character played by a clearly attractive performer is suppose to be considered undesirable due to a a flimsy reason (they wear glasses!  Have a tiny scar or birthmark on their cheek!  Noooooo!)

I do think the musical aspect was the film's biggest issue simply because while not horrible, the songs just didn't really standout as they should.  The closest ones were probably "Someone to Say" and "Wherever I Fall", but didn't quite reach the top of musical numbers in film.  Probably didn't help that this was a big year for them with In the Heights, West Side Story, tick, tick... Boom!, and, if including animation, Encanto. 

That said, while I knew going in that Dinklage's singing wasn't going to match his acting, I honestly didn't think it was that bad.  He clearly isn't the strongest singer out there, but he never made me cringe or wince, which might be a low bar to achieve, but I'd take it.  Granted, I was one of the few that didn't think Russell Crowe was a disaster in Les Mis, so what do I know (now, Pierce Bronson in Mamma Mia! was a sound to behold...)?  I did think he was better when he was singing along with others compared to just himself.  Kind of interesting since I could easily see a weaker singer being outshone by the superior ones, but I felt like Dinklage's style; and the weaknesses that come with it; actually meshed well with the stronger voices of Kelvin Harrison Jr. and especially Haley Bennett.  If anything, the closest to being flat-out bad for me was Ben Mendelsohn, but I even got some amusement over that at least.

No complaints about the acting though.  Dinklage was awesome and I really think his singing was what hurt his Oscar chances, becauseI can think of about two of the current nominees I would put him over this year.  Bennett was equally fantastic and I'm glad she's still getting good work, even though she never really became the big star I think they were pushing her to be years ago.  Harrison Jr. was perfectly likable as Christian and while Mendelsohn can pretty much play this type of character in his sleep, he still made for an entertaining De Guiche.

I don't know if he'll go down as one of the most influential directors ever, but I do dig Joe Wright's style.

Glad I gave it a go.  Even if it didn't the set the world on fire, I hope it at least nets Dinklage some more leading roles (and keeps getting Bennett more work.)

[Colorado David]

I enjoyed the play outside of the musical tunes, they just really seemed uninspired and kind of filler-y. I like the costumes and most of the hammy acting. Dinklage did great as I had no doubt he would - not a great singer, eh, but one can forgive - let him put his toe in the water and see. Crowe did it (ouch), Brosnan did it (ouch), and lets not forget Cats the movie (big ouch).   Still nice seeing Dinklage again. Haley did fine, she has one of those faces that I know from several different places but can't pinpoint it.

[paramitch]

I saw this recently, and it knocked me over. I absolutely loved it. So I'm kind of shocked at the reactions here. Let's just say it definitely took me back to the merciless snark of the TWOP days!

My mileage definitely varies -- I loved this, and thought it was fantastic. For me, it's not only a great Cyrano, it's the best Cyrano ever made. It's this lovely little delicate creation, but so powerful. And for me, Dinklage's Cyrano is a revelation, wonderfully complex because yes, now there is the visible defect that goes beyond the easy "false-nose-on-the-handsome-guy"—his stature—while at the same time, the idea of Roxanne loving anyone else is absurd, because Dinklage is so handsome and charismatic whatever his height.

As with life, what's really holding Cyrano back isn't his self-proclaimed ugliness, but his fear of being vulnerable and honest about his feelings. The tragedy of Cyrano isn't that he's ugly, it's that he can't see -- and is afraid to see -- his own capacity for beauty. I think he actually takes pride -- in a way -- in how he perceives himself as ugly. It comforts him, makes him very safe from actual love and vulnerability. It's why the film's last line is so incredibly heartbreaking. Because it is so true.

Meanwhile, sure, Peter isn't the singer of the world (a fact he admitted wholeheartedly in interviews), but he doesn't have to be. I thought he was perfectly serviceable, and on Cyrano's big intro number "When I Was Born," he brings a really fun rock-and-roll edge to the piece, and his spoken-word aspect is beautifully played by Dinklage for maximum bitterness -- the way he's effortlessly dueling with both words and sword, punctuating the blows with these lyrics that are also just as painful to himself, painting himself as a joke, a freak, that no one can ever love, that children scream and birds fall dead -- and then the entire song is punctuated by that death blow when he defends himself, then whispers to the dying man his confession: "Yes. It all goes in. And God, how it hurts." I think it's a stunning moment.

I get that the songs are not going to be everyone's cup of tea, because they're genuinely trying for something different here -- they're gentle, incidental, almost casually presented, which I love. And as a lyricist, I like that they don't succumb to what Sondheim called the inclination to "rhyme poison" -- as with the rest of the music, there's a casualness to the syntax and rhyme schemes that I really like.

For me, the songs take more than one viewing/listen to really appreciate. But that was how I felt about the whole movie. It was one of those things where I rewatched, and honestly fell madly in love with both the film and the music. My favorites would include the sublime opening number ("Someone to Say"), this delicate valentine to yearning, "Every Letter"(I love how it externalizes the sensuality of a love letter), and the beautiful "Overcome," however, for me the best number is "Wherever I Fall," the number sung by the soldiers who write their final letters home, knowing they probably won't survive (and it's GLEN HANSARD of Once, people!).

I also think this is Joe Wright's most visually beautiful film, and that's saying something, since he tends to make visually swoonworthy pieces as his specialty. His adaptations of ATONEMENT and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE are two of the most gorgeous literary adaptations I've ever seen, but this one is even more so for me, and there are so many sequences and shots in this that are just downright breathtaking -- the virtuosic sequence where Cyrano duels against 10 opponents (all in one continuous shot), the stunning initial entrance to the theatre while everyone -- everyone -- is singing about their desire to find love and acceptance, the overhead shot of soldiers fighting/dancing on the battlements. It's all just gorgeous. It's especially noteworthy when you consider that all of the songs were recorded live (I hated it in Les Mis, but it works much better here).

Beyond Dinklage's performance -- I mean, my God, just the scene where Roxanne tells him she's in love, we watch him play half a dozen emotions in 60 heartbreaking seconds -- I also would call out Haley Bennett, who is radiant as Roxanne, and who provides a heroine who is just as witty and brilliant as Cyrano himself, and who is also genuinely kind and brave. The scene where she sees Christian and falls for him is so beautiful, because it's like the film pauses for breath alongside her. As one of the only bona fide singers in the cast, she also kills the musical numbers. I thought Harrison and Mendelsohn were also great -- I especially love the serpentine quality Mendelsohn brings to De Guiche -- he's scary, but he also has a few small humanizing moments that make him seem real and not like a caricature. I also loved Bashir Salahuddin as Cyrano's BFF Le Bret -- he brings this sharpness and humor that makes him a nice counterpoint to the innocent, tongue-tied Christian.

My one quibble with the film is the abruptness of the ending. The final scene is absolutely gorgeous, and gorgeously acted by Dinklage and Bennett, but I think Wright's choice of the ending shot is slightly odd -- it's very abrupt and downbeat, and I sort of wish there had been something to soften the blow somehow. It's interesting because this Cyrano is so much gentler in some ways, but this ending is a bit more brutal than the way the play ends, not with Cyrano blaming his own pride, but with him still sort of yearning even as he dies.

On 3/11/2022 at 3:50 AM, Spartan Girl said:

If Cyrano’s tragic flaw was his pride, Roxanne’s tragic flaw was her romanticism. She wanted a dream guy that was smart and handsome, and didn’t want to settle for anything less. She told Cyrano that she needed Christian to be her perfect dream guy. Maybe that willful blindness accounts for why she couldn’t tell it was Cyrano speaking in the dark even though it was so fucking obvious. He didn’t even lower or disguise his voice! How could she possibly not recognize his voice when she’s known him for years?!?!

Yeah, this is always the thing with the balcony scene that strains belief, but they're trapped that it's the way Rostand wrote it in the original, so it's always going to lean on our suspension of disbelief. I do like that Roxanne comments on the voice difference (and even does so in Steve Martin's comical version). I can get that with the distance and her desire for it to be Christian's voice, she wills herself for it to be his voice.

Also, I'm definitely with you on hoping this brings Peter more leading-man roles!

On 3/17/2022 at 7:51 PM, thuganomics85 said:

I do think the musical aspect was the film's biggest issue simply because while not horrible, the songs just didn't really standout as they should.  The closest ones were probably "Someone to Say" and "Wherever I Fall", but didn't quite reach the top of musical numbers in film.  Probably didn't help that this was a big year for them with In the Heights, West Side Story, tick, tick... Boom!, and, if including animation, Encanto. 

Honestly, I thought this was miles better than tick, tick... Boom! overall, both as a film and as a musical piece. I liked ttB but I also think the only reason it works as a piece is the tragic irony of Jonathan Larson's death, which elevates everything we see from navel-gazing to the clock literally ticking down his life.

Quote

Granted, I was one of the few that didn't think Russell Crowe was a disaster in Les Mis, so what do I know (now, Pierce Bronson in Mamma Mia! was a sound to behold...)?  I did think he was better when he was singing along with others compared to just himself.  Kind of interesting since I could easily see a weaker singer being outshone by the superior ones, but I felt like Dinklage's style; and the weaknesses that come with it; actually meshed well with the stronger voices of Kelvin Harrison Jr. and especially Haley Bennett.  If anything, the closest to being flat-out bad for me was Ben Mendelsohn, but I even got some amusement over that at least.

Me neither! And yeah, I'll always be angry at Tom Hooper for so many decisions on Les Misérables. First off, speaking as a music theatre person and former voice student/performer, Hugh Jackman is honestly so much worse than Crowe, although the two leads are both so miscast vocally. Jackman is a baritone who doesn't have the range for Valjean (a high tenor), although he can do it, so he sounds strained the entire time (and don't get me started on the sacrilege of a belted "Bring Him Home"). Meanwhile, poor Crowe is a tenor in real life, utterly at sea singing Javert's rich baritone (with strong basso overtones). Then add in everyone singing live, not to mention Hooper shoving the camera up against everyone's epiglottises for each musical number, and just... no. The bummer is that Crowe looked the part perfectly. Both he and Jackman would almost certainly have been better musically if allowed to record in-studio.

Quote

No complaints about the acting though.  Dinklage was awesome and I really think his singing was what hurt his Oscar chances, because I can think of about two of the current nominees I would put him over this year.

I agree. I really think Dinklage deserved an Oscar nomination for this. He did get a fair amount of awards season recognition, which is always nice, but I do think this performance will be more appreciated and remembered in the future than it is now.

[RealHousewife]

^ I absolutely love your post @paramitch. It really was such a beautiful, moving film. It's one of the few I've seen this year that I'd love to rewatch. 

[paramitch]

On 11/1/2022 at 10:06 PM, RealHousewife said:

^ I absolutely love your post @paramitch. It really was such a beautiful, moving film. It's one of the few I've seen this year that I'd love to rewatch. 

Thank you so much for that! It's so nice of you.

I do know this wasn't for all tastes, but it was seriously one of the few things this past year that I fell absolutely head over heels for, warts and all, and I will always adore it. I think it's creatively risky on a variety of fronts that director Joe Wright makes feel so seamless and right.

I mean, first off, it is the first major film in history -- I'm pretty sure? -- to feature a leading man with dwarfism. And Dinklage is so good, so rich and playful and eloquent!

I especially love the way the film reinterprets his dwarfism -- for instance, the famous "nose scene," where Cyrano insults himself more wittily than his foe -- is wonderfully reimagined here in his opening scene in this with the self-loathing yet very witty " When I Was Born," where he's using his "Yes, I am a freak" as a badge of honor, even if it hurts him unbearably to do so, inside where nobody can see. I also love the conversation where Le Bret asks him about his love for Roxanne and gently both comments on his "unique physique" and point-blank says he is lovable anyway, which Cyrano heartbreakingly cannot even consider.

I would also add that I love that Haley Bennett's Roxanne is not a super-thin heroine, and we see that in the first minute of film. She is soft around the edges, not model-thin, very much of the era. I mean no disrespect or body-shaming to anyone of any size, but it is nice to see someone as beautiful as Haley's Roxanne be a somewhat more normal/non-cinematic body size onscreen.

Ultimately, I think it's this weird little beautiful delicate perfect imperfect valentine that will live on with a cult audience for years to come.

[Scarlett45]

Finally sitting down to watch this and I’m looking forward. 
 

Editing this post as I watch so I don’t forget:

I understand what you have said up thread that the music is what fails the movie. It’s not horrid but I’m not MOVED. It’s no Moulin Rouge. Loving Peter Dinklage of course! It’s visually stunning, the acting is superb, and the dancing is kinda cool, but I don’t want to buy the soundtrack. 

[greekmom]

It's on Prime and thought I would watch it. Turned it off as the actress playing Roxanne started singing (I went into this blind and didn't realize it was a musicale) .  Then I decided to look up what actually happens and again, NM as the ending sucks.

They could have done so much better.

[Morrigan2575]

9 minutes ago, greekmom said:

and didn't realize it was a musicale) .  Then I decided to look up what actually happens and again, NM as the ending sucks.

Give "Roxanne" a try, it's comedic take on Cyrano with Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah.  I watched it before Cyrano de Bergerac with Geraud Depardieu. I liked both movies but as a kid/tween Roxanne's ending was much better 😃

[greekmom]

3 minutes ago, Morrigan2575 said:

Give "Roxanne" a try, it's comedic take on Cyrano with Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah.  I watched it before Cyrano de Bergerac with Geraud Depardieu. I liked both movies but as a kid/tween Roxanne's ending was much better 😃

Yeah I remember watching the Steve Martin one when it came out. Much much better version.

[Browncoat]

Roxanne is one of Steve Martin's best movies.

[angora]

This is one of the films I've been periodically checking on every few months to see when it popped up on one of the streaming services I have, and I was excited, if a little trepidatious, to see that it had finally turned up on Amazon Prime. I knew Peter Dinklage was going to kill the acting and Joe Wright's direction was going to look gorgeous, but I was a bit nervous about how the musical aspect would be carried off.

On the whole, I loved it. Even though not many of the songs stood out that much during a first watch, I bet I'd find more character/individuality in them on further listens. I know I loved the soldiers singing about their final letters, as well as Cyrano and Roxanne's song during the balcony scene. I really liked that the songs weren't exactly "production" numbers, that characters would just softly start singing, sometimes with dialogue or bits of other scenes interspersed. It gave the characters' songs a more intimate feel, even as the ensemble sometimes broke into more cinematic choreography behind them.

I found the script really beautiful. I loved the way the characters talked to each other, and not just the heavy hitters like Cyrano and Roxanne. There were so many witty, soulful, or moving gems dropped into the dialogue. I especially liked Marie's pragmatic, "Children need love, adults need money," and Cyrano's friend Le Bret arguing that he couldn't have a "high opinion" of Roxanne because he refuses to consider her "depths."

I thought Haley Bennett was excellent as Roxanne. She's bright and witty and over-idealizes romance, but we also see the ways she's a survivor and has had to use her cleverness to make her way in the world--whether that's in little things like accepting the Duke's invitation because she wants to see the play, or in weightier matters like convincing him to "humiliate" Cyrano by not sending his guards to the front. I love the easy flow of wordplay between her and Cyrano in their scenes together. It's clear that she doesn't merely dream of receiving romantic love letters from a poetic man; she's poetic and intelligent herself, and her own letters to Christian are just as much a part of the intellectual dance they're doing together as the one Cyrano writes on Christian's behalf. Bennett was also the strongest singer. She displayed beautiful control during the softer songs and moving power in the scenes where Roxanne was able to let loose.

Kelvin Harrison Jr. made for a sweet Christian. As was said upthread, it's not his fault that Roxanne projected all her ideals about romance onto him, and had it not been for the deception, she may or may not have fallen for his uncomplicated, inarticulate self anyway--"I love you...so much!" made me laugh. I love that his reaction to finding out that Cyrano loves Roxanne was to immediately urge him to come clean, recognizing that Cyrano was really the "soul" that Roxanne loved in him and preferring letting the bubble burst instead of being loved for someone he's not. Playing the Duke was of course no stretch for Ben Mendehlson, but he did well with it. I hadn't realized he was in this, so it was fun to go, "Who is that?" and finally recognize him by his voice underneath the makeup and the wig. I also though Bashir Salahuddin did a nice job as Le Bret, and Anjana Vasan (Amina from We Are Lady Parts!) was fun in her brief role as Sister Claire.

And oh man, Peter Dinklage. He is just sooooooo good in this. I love Cyrano's dashing, swaggering entrance, the easy confidence he projects as he simultaneously duels and composes a poem, proving he can insult himself far more capably than any sneering noble can. To go from such charm and self-assurance to his absolute conviction that Roxanne could never love him seems paradoxical, especially given how charismatic and handsome Dinklage is, but in the context of the setting and the story, you understand why. As others have mentioned, Cyrano's true "deficiency" isn't his physique but his sense of self-regard. Le Bret and Christian both take him to task in different scenes for his lack of faith in Roxanne, but despite the cavalier tone he takes in public about his "monstrous" appearance, we see how deeply he's internalized all those jabs and insults to never once considers that kind, intelligent Roxanne, who he thinks is perfect, could ever love him. The scene where Roxanne makes her confession to him is simply stunning, as every single emotion slides over Dinklage's face when Cyrano finds himself frightfully daring to hope and then gets those hopes dashed in an instant.

No, he's not much of a singer, but his performance during the songs worked for me. It made sense that he sang softer and more huskily, since these were the words he'd never dared to say aloud. It might be an odd comparison, but I was reminded a little of Diego Luna's singing in The Book of Life--while neither Luna nor Dinklage are great singers, they both embodied their characters so well that the acting and the emotions were enough to get them through it. (And I definitely warmed up to Luna's singing on repeat listens, so I imagine the same will be true of Dinklage.)

[paramitch]

On 6/11/2023 at 3:42 PM, greekmom said:

Then I decided to look up what actually happens and again, NM as the ending sucks.

They could have done so much better.

I totally get that a musical (and this musical) isn't for all tastes. And that the story of Cyrano de Bergerac isn't for everyone.

But I'm puzzled at the "they could have done so much better"—because the ending sucked? The ending is faithful (as is most of the adaptation) to the original Rostand play (and the many film adaptations, aside from Roxanne).

It's like giving Hamlet a bad review because it's a tragedy. It's just what happens in the play.

On 6/11/2023 at 4:00 PM, Morrigan2575 said:

Give "Roxanne" a try, it's comedic take on Cyrano with Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah.  I watched it before Cyrano de Bergerac with Geraud Depardieu. I liked both movies but as a kid/tween Roxanne's ending was much better 😃

I love Roxanne, and it's still lovely to rewatch. As a little bit of trivia, the entire reason it was greenlit was Martin's last, Hail Mary pitch to the studio exec that

Spoiler

"What if this time, Cyrano gets the girl?"

And he finally got to make the film.

On 6/12/2023 at 11:44 AM, Browncoat said:

Roxanne is one of Steve Martin's best movies.

I love it so much. I especially like that Roxanne herself is smart and empowered (a literal rocket scientist), and I love the little town (which is adorable and its own character). I also enjoy that C.D. is not always the nicest guy -- he's kind of an acerbic ass, which is very true to Cyrano, but we can still hear the romantic heart beating beneath.

On 8/20/2023 at 4:40 PM, angora said:

I found the script really beautiful. I loved the way the characters talked to each other, and not just the heavy hitters like Cyrano and Roxanne. There were so many witty, soulful, or moving gems dropped into the dialogue. I especially liked Marie's pragmatic, "Children need love, adults need money," and Cyrano's friend Le Bret arguing that he couldn't have a "high opinion" of Roxanne because he refuses to consider her "depths."

I thought Haley Bennett was excellent as Roxanne. She's bright and witty and over-idealizes romance, but we also see the ways she's a survivor and has had to use her cleverness to make her way in the world--whether that's in little things like accepting the Duke's invitation because she wants to see the play, or in weightier matters like convincing him to "humiliate" Cyrano by not sending his guards to the front. I love the easy flow of wordplay between her and Cyrano in their scenes together. It's clear that she doesn't merely dream of receiving romantic love letters from a poetic man; she's poetic and intelligent herself, and her own letters to Christian are just as much a part of the intellectual dance they're doing together as the one Cyrano writes on Christian's behalf. Bennett was also the strongest singer. She displayed beautiful control during the softer songs and moving power in the scenes where Roxanne was able to let loose.

And oh man, Peter Dinklage. He is just sooooooo good in this. I love Cyrano's dashing, swaggering entrance, the easy confidence he projects as he simultaneously duels and composes a poem, proving he can insult himself far more capably than any sneering noble can. To go from such charm and self-assurance to his absolute conviction that Roxanne could never love him seems paradoxical, especially given how charismatic and handsome Dinklage is, but in the context of the setting and the story, you understand why. As others have mentioned, Cyrano's true "deficiency" isn't his physique but his sense of self-regard. Le Bret and Christian both take him to task in different scenes for his lack of faith in Roxanne, but despite the cavalier tone he takes in public about his "monstrous" appearance, we see how deeply he's internalized all those jabs and insults to never once considers that kind, intelligent Roxanne, who he thinks is perfect, could ever love him. The scene where Roxanne makes her confession to him is simply stunning, as every single emotion slides over Dinklage's face when Cyrano finds himself frightfully daring to hope and then gets those hopes dashed in an instant.

No, he's not much of a singer, but his performance during the songs worked for me. It made sense that he sang softer and more huskily, since these were the words he'd never dared to say aloud. It might be an odd comparison, but I was reminded a little of Diego Luna's singing in The Book of Life--while neither Luna nor Dinklage are great singers, they both embodied their characters so well that the acting and the emotions were enough to get them through it. (And I definitely warmed up to Luna's singing on repeat listens, so I imagine the same will be true of Dinklage.)

What a beautiful and eloquent review! You definitely covered everything I loved about the film. 

I especially agree with you about the almost casual, incidental way the songs took place, and I especially agree with you on the film's wonderful, wonderful Roxanne, so beautifully portrayed by Hayley Bennett. Roxanne here is just as sharp and witty as Cyrano, and she definitely has a mind of her own. I can forgive her for falling for Christian's beauty even if she had worried he might have the mind of a rabbit (I still love when Cyrano blurts out "Rabbit!" when he realizes Christian is, er, not a mental giant).

I think Dinklage is just wonderful for all the reasons you mention, and adored everything about his performance. He is everything a Cyrano needs to be -- believably insecure about his unusual appearance, and yet witty, brave,  skilled, graceful, and eloquent.

And I love that Christian and Cyrano become real friends and companions. They care about each other, and Cyrano sees the sweetness and courage that make Christian also worthy of Roxanne's love in his own way.

This was one of my favorite reviews of CYRANO -- Bilge Ebiri just really gets it:

https://www.vulture.com/article/movie-review-joe-wrights-cyrano-starring-peter-dinklage.html

 

Quote

And so, as Cyrano begins, you sense a director fully in his element, able to weave in and out of bursts of song and snatches of dancerly movement without ever fully disappearing into the realm of the unreal. The movie sings even when nobody’s singing: Characters speak as if guided by internal meters, and they move with brisk, purposeful precision. As a result, when they do burst into song and dance, it feels organic and natural, like everything’s just tipped one slight degree into the fantastical. Cyrano is a delicate dream of a movie, the kind of film that feels like you might have merely imagined it — light on the surface but long on subconscious impact.