Curator Watchlist
A warm, clever romantic comedy that pairs Steve Martin’s physical comedy with a sincere Cyrano premise. It’s a little predictable and occasionally broad, but the charm, wordplay, and heartfelt lead performance make it easy to recommend.
Where to watch: Buy
Fri · 1h 47m
Director: Fred Schepisi
Starring: Steve Martin, Daryl Hannah, Rick Rossovich
In this modern take on Edmond Rostand's classic play "Cyrano de Bergerac," C. D. Bales is the witty, intelligent, and brave fire chief of a small Pacific Northwest town who, due to the size of his enormous nose, declines to pursue the girl of his dreams, lovely Roxanne Kowalski. Instead, when his shy underling Chris McConnell becomes smitten with Roxanne, C.D. feeds the handsome young man the words of love to win her heart.
Fred Schepisi
Steve Martin, Daryl Hannah, Rick Rossovich
A warm, clever romantic comedy that pairs Steve Martin’s physical comedy with a sincere Cyrano premise. It’s a little predictable and occasionally broad, but the charm, wordplay, and heartfelt lead performance make it easy to recommend.
Roxanne is the kind of studio comedy that feels disarmingly simple until you notice how carefully it’s built. The Cyrano setup gives it a sturdy romantic engine, and Steve Martin turns what could have been a gimmick into something genuinely tender, funny, and a little melancholy. The movie’s best stretches balance verbal wit with physical comedy in a way that still feels nimble.
It does lean on some familiar rom-com machinery, and a few early jokes land with more force than elegance. But once it settles into the emotional triangle, the film becomes warmer and more charming than its premise suggests. Fred Schepisi keeps the tone light without losing the sweetness at the center.
What lingers is the sense that the movie believes intelligence and vulnerability are sexy, and that comedy works best when it comes from character. It’s not a reinvention of the genre, but it is a very good version of one: funny, sincere, and easy to like.
Sean Fennessey (3.5★) · 315 likes
Just a really good movie. Sometimes you just want a good movie.
BenDavid Grabinski (5★) · 244 likes
Charlie: Ten more seconds and I'm leaving! Ten- Roxanne: What did you say? Charlie: I said ten more seconds and I'm leaving. Roxanne: Oh. Charlie: What did you think I said? Roxanne: I thought you said earn more sessions by sleeving. Charlie: What does that mean? Roxanne: I don't know. That's why I came out.
russman (3.5★) · 195 likes
I counted 17 red lights during the film
Justin LaLiberty (3★) · 168 likes
there’s an extended sequence in this where Steve Martin rapid fires twenty “big nose” insults in a crowded bar and it’s among the best comedy work of the 80s - the rest of it is fine
Emma Schneider (3★) · 133 likes
one of the himbo sacred texts
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A smart, buoyant 80s romance with sharp banter and a sincere emotional payoff.
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A beloved romantic comedy that balances sweetness, awkwardness, and emotional directness.
Another romantic comedy from the same era that blends big feelings, wit, and strong character chemistry.
For viewers who like intelligent dialogue, romantic tension, and a polished 80s studio sensibility.
A benchmark romantic comedy with sharp writing and a strong sense of character-driven chemistry.
If the appeal is fast comic timing and verbal dexterity, this is a great companion watch.
Shares the era’s polished mainstream charm, warmth, and crowd-pleasing romantic momentum.
A British romantic comedy with showbiz wit, awkward longing, and a similarly offbeat comic tone.
For a more cynical but still emotionally engaged take on romantic manipulation and longing.
romantic comedy, identity and insecurity, miscommunication, classic literature adaptation, small-town setting, physical comedy, wordplay, unrequited love
romantic comedy, 1980s, adaptation, wordplay, physical comedy, small-town, earnest, miscommunication, classic literature, feel-good