Joe Wright directs Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett and Kelvin Harrison Jr. in this period musical where a witty soldier is convinced his appearance renders him unworthy of the affections of the luminous Roxanne, a devoted friend who’s in love with someone else.

Mixed emotions. A beautiful piece of cinema, easily the most sensual movie of Joe Wright’s career. As a visual love letter to his luminous wife (Bennett) this proves incomparable. He uses Sicily as a frame and the well worn plot as a delivery system to lens his undeniably lush paramour in every angle and pose and lighting setting possible. And Dinklage gets an aptly meaty role that amplifies everything that has made him a deserved if unlikely household name over last decade of his lengthy career. The script is self reflective, a common thread within Wright’s period romances. Just another example of the big risky swings this adaptation often takes. It is a work defined by big risky swings. Not all are successful. The clunky final act does not live up to the opening… I didn’t think it works particularly well as a musical but Natalie has been revisiting the soundtrack written by The National over a week later. So what do I know? It is a strange mix of pared back minimalism and ornate flourishes. This Cyrano works, I’d rewatch it, maybe it’s uniqueness might nudge it into classic territory?

7

Perfect Double Bill: The Station Agent (2003)

Check out my wife Natalie’s Point Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/