Review & Interviews: Unexpectedly, 'Cyrano' works incredibly well as a musical

Cyrano
4 out of 5 Stars
Director: Joe Wright
Writers: Edmond Rostand, Erica Schmidt
Starring: Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, Kevin Harrison Jr.
Genre: Musical, Drama
Rated: PG-13 for some strong violence, thematic and suggestive material, and brief language

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) —Synopsis: Cyrano, a headstrong, and boisterous solider, is unable to rally the nerve to woo the beautiful Roxanne. Given the opportunity to woo her for Christian, a tongue-tied and love-sick soldier, Cyrano writes a series of letters that prove to be incredibly effective.

Review: I’ll be the first to admit that when I heard that Joe Wright was directing a musical version of Edmond Rostand’s play “Cyrano de Bergerac,” I wasn’t entirely convinced that it could work.

Had I thought it through, I would have realized that “Cyrano de Bergerac,” a story filled with love poems, is perfect material for a musical.

Originally developed as a stage musical by Erica Schmidt, the script was workshopped with both Peter Dinklage as Cyrano and Haley Bennet as Roxanne. For the film, Schmidt adapted her original script, Dinklage and Bennet reprise their roles with Kevin Harrison Jr. taking over the role of Christian. The songs, for both the play and the film, were written by American rock band The National.

The most dramatic difference between Schmidt’s adaptation and the original production is that Cyrano is no longer a man distinguished by the size of his nose. It is, as the casting of Dinklage suggests, the size of the man himself that sets him apart. This alone dramatically improves the narrative. It no longer feels ridiculous and contrived.

It also doesn’t hurt that Dinklage is fantastic as Cyrano. From his opening speech to the film’s conclusion, his bravado, charm, and fighting skills are a joy to behold. Both Bennet and Harrison are convincing. Bennet’s best work coming in the final act.

The songs work for the most part. There isn’t a standout track, I’d be interested to see how well it works detached from Wright’s visuals. Fortunately, Wright’s visuals are there andSeamus McGarvey's cinematography is lush and gorgeous. Wright is a fantastic director with a great respect for theater that never forgets that he is making a film, not a stage play. At no point does the movie feel confined or flat. It’s simply beautiful to watch. The film’s Oscar nomination for Best Costumes is well deserved.

I’m a little surprised that “Cyrano” wasn’t release for Valentine's Day. I absolutely prefer it over “Marry Me” (which, should I need to remind you, I liked).