Cyrano

     Director Joe Wright, working from a screenplay by Erica Schmidt (based on her play), brings us a wonderful adaptation of the classic love triangle.

     Earlier versions of Cyrano have always focused on his deformity of an extra-large nose, rendering him unable to profess his love for Roxanne. Here Cyrano is played by Peter Dinklage and it's the rather obvious size difference that keeps him from revealing his love, instead wooing her through his poetic letters delivered by Christian, the soldier Roxanne thinks she loves.

     Mr. Dinklage is absolutely wonderful in the role. He is a fierce swordsman, has an intellectual and poetic wit, and wears his heartbreaking unspoken love on his sleeve. And as it turns out, is not a bad singer, in a Tom Waits sort of way. Roxanne is played by the lovely Haley Bennett and Christian is play by the dashing Kelvin Harrison Jr.. Co-starring as the villain who also love Roxanne is Ben Mendelsohn, always a delight in a role he knows so well.

     The production is breathtaking. The locations (in and around towns in Sicily) are wonderful. The costumes are luminous and the surprising songs and choreography add a new dimension to the ageless tale. The singing and dancing are subtle and never overwhelm the production. There is really only one large number that is rendered beautifully.

      If you are looking for a change of pace from the usual films that seemed dumped on an audience in February, "Cyrano" makes for a great "date night".