Cyrano, My Love, 2019.
Directed by Alexis Michalik.
Starring Thomas Solivérès, Olivier Gourmet, Mathilde Seigner, Tom Leeb, Lucie Boujenah, Alice de Lencquesaing, Dominique Pinon, Alexis Michalik, Simon Abkarian, Blandine Bellavoir, Guillaume Bouchède, Antoine Duléry, and Clémentine Célarié.
SYNOPSIS:
December 1897, Paris. Edmond Rostand is not yet thirty but already two children and a lot of anxieties. He has not written anything for two years. In desperation, he offers the great Constant Coquelin a new play, a heroic comedy, in verse, for the holidays. Only concern: it is not written yet. Ignoring the whims of actresses, the demands of his Corsican producers, the jealousy of his wife, the stories of his best friend’s heart and the lack of enthusiasm of all those around him, Edmond starts writing this piece which nobody believes. For now, he has only the title: “Cyrano de Bergerac“.
With broad humor and appropriate theatrical sensibilities, fitting playwright Alexis Michalik directs Cyrano, My Love, a love letter to both French theater and one of its most legendary productions, Cyrano de Bergerac. Set during 1895 Paris, Edmond Rostand (Thomas Solivérès) is failing hard at becoming the next great dramatic storyteller, with his latest play bombing out of the auditorium within about a week. The writing doesn’t resonate, and while the lines have passion in their delivery from Edmond’s regular collaborator Sarah Bernhardt (Clémentine Célarié portrays the real-life performer), the dialogue itself lacks emotional gravitas and comes from a playwright unwilling to truly put his feelings and experiences down on the page, which as any writer knows, always makes for more investing storytelling.
Flash forward a few years later and married life with children is more strenuous than ever. Edmond’s supportive wife Rosemonde Gérard (Alice de Lencquesaing, working with an underwritten role considering Edmond swoons over another woman for inspiration, straddling the line between love and muse) encourages him to write, but it’s not until a number of factors that motivate him that anything actually gets done. Everything from an elegant black café owner that gracefully puts racists in their place, classic literature (the oversized-nosed and all-around ugly Cyrano serves as the foundation for Edmond’s foray into comedy), and a beautiful costume dresser named Jeanne (Lucie Boujenah) break down his creative writing barriers in ways that his own wife can’t. Save for one confrontation between the married couple, Cyrano, My Love would rather shower the inception of the source material with praise rather than explore the complicated dynamics of proven geniuses behaving dishonorably for the success of their art.
Instead, the proceedings are lighthearted and lean into the comedy of errors that arise while putting together the play. Edmond comes into the acquaintance of Constant Coquelin (Olivier Gourmet), a respectable actor on the hunt for more work, and through his connections finds the means to put on a play for some stingy production backers. Primadonna actresses join the set, Edmond’s best friend Léonidas Léo Volny (Tom Leeb) makes for a love triangle between Jeanne, abysmal talent must be given roles, and on top of that, the play itself must be written on the fly and rehearsed before its planned opening three weeks ahead. There are plenty of swiveling camera shots, although with the chaos of the production there’s the sensation it’s more about placing the audience inside the tornado Edmond navigates whenever he enters the building rather than another sensible theatrical touch.
Cyrano, My Love is certainly entertaining and coasts along with pizzazz and nonstop banter between characters, but some of the jokes don’t land and aspects such as a lone black character seemingly only existing to boost morale on the play come across awkwardly. Simultaneously, it also serves as a worthwhile insight into the writing process, and how rough drafts are consistently refined, sometimes right there off-the-cuff. Newcomers to the stage play itself will find some fascination in witnessing how it all comes together, whereas ardent fans have a different kind of adaptation to soak up (and one with wonderful costume design emulating the original play with acute detail). It might be a stretch, but it’s not that far off from watching a French stage play version of The Disaster Artist albeit a movie that’s nowhere near as funny.
It’s clear that first-time filmmaker Alexis Michalik simply wanted to send up with love a piece of art that holds a place in his heart. Naturally, that doesn’t make for the most interesting study (and there are ways a filmmaker can show affection for something while still cutting through to the flaws and mistakes of its subjects), but the actors gift the film with the energy it needs to remain enjoyable. Still, there’s only a small handful of scenes that qualify as truly funny, whereas the rest don’t click as they come from less engaging subplots. Cyrano, My Love plays everything too safe and occasionally feels misguided; it’s a love letter with too much love and not enough substance.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, friend me on Facebook, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, check out my personal non-Flickering Myth affiliated Patreon, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
