When you think of definitive love stories, there are some that spring to mind and one of them is undoubtedly Cyrano de Bergerac. The classic tale traverses themes of heartbreak and unrequited love all with the magic of period drama.
Now, Golden Globe-nominee Joe Wright, known for masterpieces like Atonement and Pride and Prejudice, re-imagines this timeless tale of the heartbreaking love triangle for a modern-day audience. Game of Thrones' Peter Dinklage takes on the eponymous role of Cyrano, a master of wordplay and sword-skill who believes his appearance makes him unworthy of the object of his utmost desire, his dear friend Roxanne.
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Ferociously beautiful and captivating, Roxanne is played by the effortlessly talented Haley Bennett. Blissfully unaware of her friend's romantic desires, Roxanne has fallen in love at first sight with Christian, a young man whose verbal sparring falls far short of Cyrano's.
The Trial of the Chicago Seven breakthrough star Kelvin Harrison Jr lends his charm and wit to the role of Christian, who is desperate to return Roxanne's affections with the same verve and poetic expression.
As he is resigned to a life of loneliness, Cyrano lends his verbal talents to Christian to woo Roxanne, and this is where the familiar tale of love triangles and secrecy begins, but it is unlike the adaptations that came before.
With Wright at the helm, this modern movie-musical adaptation of the 1897 Edmond Rostand play has all of the modern tension and drama that you want out of a love story. With a truly current twist, Cyrano marries classic and contemporary with aplomb.
Intrinsic to the immersive experience of cinema is, of course, the music and Cyrano is no exception. With Aaron and Bryce Dessner (of the Grammy Award-winning band The National) setting the score, Cyrano's music evokes the splendid and torturous feelings of a crush, the despair in heartbreak, and the boundless hope that can be found in a love letter.
Cyrano takes the music and weaves it expertly into the narrative, bringing an emotive spotlight to the characters rather than overwhelming them. And what makes Cyrano so great is how truly relatable the characters are.
You can be one of the first to delve into the ethereal world at a complimentary and exclusive London screening.
In cinemas from February 25, 2022, Digital Spy is hosting a preview screening at Vue Piccadilly on January 10, 2022, at 6pm. Be one of the first to immerse yourself in this truly heartrending love story: go to go to seeitfirst.com and enter the password LOVELETTERS, or click here.
What better way to ring in 2022 than with one of the best model love stories on the big screen, where you can truly fall into the epic scope and scale of Cyrano.
A theme as old as time — that true love isn't skin deep — is given a fresh yet still profoundly poetic twist, championing the idea that love sees not with the eyes but with the heart, and that we are all capable of being loved, even if we don't always believe it.
Variety's Peter Debruge said: "Wright — whom I consider one of the medium's most visionary craftsman — has outdone himself in devising original, cinematically innovative ways to stage the film." Indeed, the myriad talents of the cast and crew are in perfect form as Cyrano.
Every element of Cyrano, from costume to directing, music to set, create a totally believable universe into which an audience can fall head over heels in love. There's no better way to start a new year than with the spring in your step that only a true love story can deliver, and Cyrano delivers.
Don't miss out on the chance to be one of the first to see this definitive love story reimagined on the big screen.
Get your tickets now for our exclusive preview screening here.
Cyrano is in cinemas on February 25, 2022
Gabriella Geisinger is a freelance film critic and journalist, with a focus on J-drama & film, and the Japanese production industry. She was previously Locations Editor at Screen International and Deputy Movies Editor at Digital Spy. Her writing can also befound in Curzon, 1883, and more. A born and raised New Yorker, she loves coffee and the colour black, obviously.
