We Are All Made of Stars: Review of A Star is Born

A Star is Born

Director: Bradley Cooper

By Alex Watson

Now on its fourth version- A Star is Born feels reborn under the first time direction of Bradley Cooper. One of the rawest yet heartwarming movies of 2018, Cooper and co-star Lady Gaga do much more than provide a great sound. Getting to the heart of two fragile yet painfully real characters, this remake firmly captures the heart and soul of its predecessors.

Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) is a country star who plays to sold-out stadiums, but off-stage he is a drunken wreck who is past his best. One night while out drinking he comes across singer Ally (Lady Gaga) performing in a drag bar. Immediately taken by her talents, the pair soon enters a romantic relationship and quickly her star rises while his begins to fade. Will the pair be able to salvage their love or will fame tear them apart?

Cooper immediately makes the flaws with his lead character obvious. Starting playing to a packed stadium, Jackson drunkenly stumbles on stage and attempts to act the part of a rock star. His addiction already has him in a tailspin and all around people are worried. One scene sees his brother Bobby (Sam Eliott) puts him to bed and warns Ally "You think he drinks a little too much? Sweetie, you have no idea!" Permanently hungover and hazy-eyed, Jackson is barely functioning. When he sees Ally perform a passionate rendition of 'La Vie En Rose' in a drag bar, you can feel the sparks fly. With her stuck on eyebrows, Ally is a woman who has been permanently rejected by the industry due to her looks. While immensely talented and sure of herself, she is unconvinced by Jackson's words of encouragement. However, when they first sing the song 'Shallow' together there is an electricity which would rival any live concert on earth. We can feel Ally's star begin to ascend and there is a crushing inevitability that Jackson will soon be consigned to the past.

Throughout A Star is Born there is a fear that Ally is not equipped neither physically or emotionally to deal with her lovers' descent into the bottom of the bottle. While her face graces billboards across LA and she appears on Saturday Night Live, Jackson is confined to the shadows. Dealing with continuous problems with tinnitus and still emotionally affected by the death of his mother and father, Jackson's pain is as plain as day. Ally's scheming manager (Ravi Gavron) doesn't help matters as he sees her as a hit factory and frequently undermines her husband. While it sounds bleak and depressing, there is a naturalistic feel to this romance and there are moments of levity which makes this all the more memorable. The picture undoubtedly comes alive during its live music scenes and Gaga feels at home during this stretch. Recapturing the vibrancy and show-stopping feel of one of her live shows, credit must go to DP Matthew Libatique here.

As this torrid romance plays out there is a sense that Jackson is a ticking time bomb. Unable to cope with his sudden loss of fame, life in Ally's shadow brings out the worst in this character. A particularly gruesome moment during the Grammy's award is the pinnacle of his downfall. Judy Garland and James Mason had it easy compared to this moment. As a director, Cooper is very much adept at capturing the feel of George Cukor's 1954 effort while also maintaining a subtle nod to Barbara Streisand's 1973 version. Ally might be the star that remains, but Jackson is the star our hearts go out to even though he may not have truly earned them.

Bradley Cooper rings in what could be a career-defining turn as Jackson. Barely recognisable underneath his long dusty hair and swollen face, Cooper brings a realism along with a very recognisable sense of trauma to this character. Lost in a whirlwind of drugs and booze, Jackson is still clinging to what he used to be and is unable to face what he has become. The big question in this movie was could Lady Gaga pull off being the leading lady? The answer is HELL YES! Completely comfortable bring a natural feel along with a raw yet believable emotional pain, Gaga is more than a match for her established co-star. Bring the heat as both singer and actor, this vehicle could pave the way for her to become the triple threat she deserves to be.

A Star is Born proves that sometimes remakes can go above what is expected of them. A surefire candidate for a clutch of Oscar nominations, you will not see a better duo onscreen than Gaga and Cooper.