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From Joe Wright, the director of Pride and Prejudice, Atonement, and Darkest Hour, comes this contemporary retelling of the classic story of Cyrano de Bergerac, where we find out love is not always skin-deep. Shot on location in Italy, this is a breathtaking reimagining of epic proportions, adding music and a modern twist to the original tale.
The film has been nominated for four BAFTAs, including Outstanding British Film, and at the centre of it all is Peter Dinklage and his fantastic performance as the titular Cyrano. The story sees Cyrano find himself in love with his best friend, the beautiful Roxanne (Haley Bennett). But, Cyrano's love is unspoken, and unrequited, as he feels held back by his own physical appearance. So when Roxanne's gaze falls instead to Christian (Kelvin Harrison Jr), a new recruit in Cyrano's own army regiment, Cyrano finds himself helping Christian romance his own true love.
What helps set this new movie adaptation apart is that the original romantic monologues have been transformed into stunning songs by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of Grammy-Award-winning band, The National, helping to bring the music of the film to life. The love letters that Cyrano helps Christian write are lifted from the page and turned into lyrics with great effect. Plus, the entire adaptation of the story has been created by Dinklage's own real-life wife, Erica Schmidt, just to add that extra layer of romance to Cyrano.
Cyrano looks set to reimagine what a period drama can be too, as rather than being tied to a single space in time, Wright says it's set in a "fantasy of a period". Falling somewhere between 1640 and 1712, Cyrano's costuming reflects that with a hint of modern fashion tied into the aesthetics of that loose time period. The film is visually breathtaking as well, with much of it played out to the backdrop of Sicily. The dramatic coastline plays host to some epic dance numbers, in contrast the film’s dramatic war scenes were shot at 16,000 above sea level around the majestic Mt Etna. Wright admitted that shooting the film around an active volcano was the most “practically challenging choice of his career”. The results are spectacular and truly need to be seen on the big screen to be appreciated.
Arriving in cinemas on February 25, Cyrano is the breathtaking romance you should be looking for first in 2022.
