'Cyrano' Review
February 24, 2022
By:
Hunter Friesen
The Great Musical War of 2021 has come to an end
With the late-breaking Cyrano being the last extension of this trend
The famed wordsmith's tale of forbidden love
Has been told so many times before that it is as worn as an old glove
Between José Ferrer, Gérard Depardieu and Kevin Kline on the stage and the screen
Many have given performances of the character that are oh so fine
Now it is time for Peter Dinklage of Game of Thrones fame to take on the role
And give it all, with both heart and soul
You may wonder why I am speaking in rhyme
To that, I say it is to keep my mind as sharp as a dime
Because after writing over seventy reviews for films both small and big
My brain has become brittle and could snap like a twig
But I also speak in rhyme as a way to honor good Cyrano
Who can mold words to his liking as a baker does with dough
So this is a fair warning to all readers who oppose rhymes
As you will want to lock me up for my crimes
Now with that out of the way, let's get on with the review
For a film that has assembled quite the cast and crew
Our story begins in the time of old
When men were told to be soldiers and bold
Cyrano is a man full of charm and wits
Whose only downfall is that he stands as tall as a man when he sits
His lack of stature is what keeps him away from his love, Roxanne
Who’s skin and voice is as soft as a dove
Much to Cyrano’s dismay, Roxanne loves another
His name is Christian, Cyrano’s new army brother
Christian loves Roxanne as well but hasn’t got a tongue
As the words he speaks have the same effect as potent dung
So Cyrano comes up with a plan so that he will act as Christian’s voice
Writing letters to Roxanne, making her rejoice, even if it isn’t by choice
However, this love triangle gets complicated as time goes on
As the snooty Count de Guiche forces Roxanne’s hand in marriage as part of a con
Chrisitan and Cyrano must tell Roxanne the truth of their ruse
Or her forced marriage to the Count will forever give her the blues
Directing this film adaptation of Cyrano is Joe Wright
Whose past works of Pride & Prejudice and Atonement are an absolute delight
Lately, he’s been in a bit of a rough patch
As Pan and The Woman in the Window failed to hatch
No matter, here is where Wright once again flexes his skill
With imagery captured with the camera with such thrill
Scenes play out in extended takes lasting minutes at a time
Allowing for the sets, costumes, and music to be sublime
“Someone to Say” is my favorite tune of the soundtrack to exist
As it now has a permanent spot in my Spotify playlist
The technicals and craftsmanship is so wonderful
And so is the cast, made up of actors quite colorful
Dinklage’s charm brings a certain panache
And he should have dived into the Oscar race with a splash
His height may limit his character on the screen
But it’s never stopped him personally from chewing the scene
And while Haley Bennett as Roxanne may not be up to his level
Their chemistry often makes scenes quite the revel
Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Chrisitan brings might
As he aptly plays the knight that cannot write
But surprisingly, it is good Ben Mendelsohn who steals the show
With his face caked in posh makeup, white as snow
Of the musicals that came out this past year
Cyrano places third in the upper-tier
What films are ahead of it you request?
It’s West Side Story and Annette of course, whose set pieces are the best
But even in third place, Cyrano is a treat
So go out, buy a ticket, and save your seat
I’ll be on my way now, making haste to my next story
When it comes to picking my next film, I can do any category
And if you thought this poem came to no amount
My only defense is to say that it is why I studied the art of the account