A new version of Cyrano hits the big screens this weekend, and it’s a wonderful retelling of a very familiar story.
Peter Dinklage is actually very fine as the Romeo who secretly loves Roxanne (Haley Bennett) but has to put up with, and feed lines to, Christian (Kelvin Harrison Jr. – who is not quite particularly good in this role).
Cyrano has been told and re-told many many times (there is also actually a hip hop version in the West End starring James McAvoy that is super fabulous), but this particular remake is magical, and I can’t quite put my finger on why. Perhaps it’s the lush cinematography and costumes, Roxannes innocence and beauty, the script that keeps the story light and lively, or the fantastic direction by Joe Wright. It could certainly be a combination of all these, but Cyrano is a winner of a film, and Dinklage (famous for his moody and serious roles including Game of Thrones) proves in this film that he can carry a movie, and as a romantic lead as well. Cyrano works, it really really works.