Cyrano

Let’s talk about Cyrano, Joe Wright’s 2021 musical adaptation starring Peter Dinklage. If you know the classic story (unrequited love, poetic letters, tragic longing), you’ll see where this goes, but the twist here is that Wright turns Edmond Rostand’s play into a full-blown musical, with a script adapted by Erica Schmidt and music by The National. Yes, that’s right - Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner’s typically moody indie rock is front and center, which is… unexpectedly effective.

First thing that really lands is Dinklage himself. He’s honestly great, doing so much with little gestures and quiet pain. The movie leans into his vulnerable intensity instead of the usual comedic roast of Cyrano’s “flaw,” and it pays off. Haley Bennett, as Roxanne, matches him with the kind of voice and presence that actually makes you buy the love triangle, even in scenes that could have slipped into melodrama.

The music is a mixed bag, though. The National’s songs sometimes shine, especially “Wherever I Fall” and “Overcome,” which are lush and haunting. But not every number sticks the landing. Some of the lyrics push too hard for poetry and end up feeling overwrought. You occasionally get the sense that the songs were shoehorned in rather than springing naturally from the story.

Visually, it’s gorgeous. Wright loves ornate sets, and this time he goes full period drama, with fancy duels and candlelit rooms. There’s a tactile, painterly look that helps carry you into the world. Sometimes the shots feel a little stagey, almost like you’re watching a very expensive play, but the production value is undeniable.

Where the movie stumbles hardest is pacing. The first half moves with a romantic lightness that pulls you in, but it starts to drag about two-thirds in. There’s only so much yearning one can do in ornate costumes before you start checking your watch. And some side characters (like Kelvin Harrison Jr.’s Christian) aren’t given enough to do to truly matter.

In all, Cyrano swings big and mostly earns its swoon. It’s imperfect, but it dares to take the musical in a more indie direction and gives Dinklage a real showcase. If you have patience for dialogue-heavy romance and appreciate when filmmakers go for broke instead of playing it safe, you’ll find something here to love or at least argue about over drinks.