A Star is Born movie review.

"Remake" is seen as something of a dirty word, often in the context of thoroughly unnecessary cash-ins that only clog the continually unoriginal Hollywood system even more, putting their effort into an idea that most likely has its definitive representation, and in that case what can you really hope to top. And to be fair, remakes like Point Break certainly validate this apathy towards them, but it can also yield better efforts like The Fly. And even if those the likes of A Star is Born, itself a product of three remakes, doesn't necessarily top its earliest predecessor, the template of what that film deals with is still versatile enough to justify different interpretations.

So coming into this new version of A Star is Born, marking Bradley Cooper's directorial debut, I found myself in an interesting position. I have to admit I've not seen prior interpretations to this story. I came into it fresh, so in essence, this new version was tailor made for people like me. And I think this film proves that not only can such a story still hold relevance from decades ago, but detached from its source, it can stand and endure superbly on its own. A Star is Born is fantastic!

Aging and self-destructive Country singer Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) departs his latest show one night, and by chance meets struggling singer Ally (Lady Gaga), whose amazing singing skills and unassuming nature dominate his attention. Impressed and infatuated by her, Jackson invites Ally to perform with him one night, and soon after joins his tour, and eventually takes off with her own successful career. But as Ally's star starts to grow, Jackson's old habits and crippling addictions slowly start to intensify, leading to heartache along the way that the pair's love may not be able to fix.

While I mean no disrespect to the genre, I think what Bradley Cooper has managed to achieve here is the thinking man's musical. Really only a musical by pure virtue of the multitude of songs, A Star is Born is much less concerned with big song sequences, in favor of much more grounded character study, and the effects of the people in that prominent spotlight, whether they be prepared for the coverage that should entail or not.

I think it's best to start right at the top with the man himself. Lady Gaga may be the titular star, but this truly is Cooper's show. As co-lead, he goes for absolute broke in this movie. His aging and naturally gifted Jackson Maine is like watching a Greek tragedy by way of steel pedal guitar. Ally notes at one point that fans love to cling to celebrity idols but never want to know who those people really are, a significant sticking point especially when it comes to Jackson's downward trajectory. On stage, he's energetic, charismatic, and able to let loose in front of the thousands of people in the crowd. All a facade to distract from the heavy drinking to drown his sorrows in, and a pervasive affliction of tinnitus from his damaged hearing.

But even that facade shows its rust, as that natural charm crumbles and his nasty habits grow worse. Every day, it's as if Jackson progressively revels in the self-destruction as a result of his addictions, at every point leading to his older brother Bobby (a spectacular Sam Elliot) picking up the pieces from the fallout. And Cooper performs the heck out of the role, showcasing so much aggression and heartbreak all through his performance, a portrayal of incredible regret and melancholy.

But Jackson's flame is stoked up still by the discovery of Ally, a gifted and struggling singer that Jackson meets by chance in his search for the nearest bar. As the title star, Lady Gaga is a stunning revelation. Despite such an ordinary appearance, there's such an extraordinary spirit to her, one that you wouldn't expect to be so easily adaptable to the abrasive celebrity world, given what a temperamental person she is wearing her emotions proudly on her shoulder. But clawing past that initial fear, you see such an explosive power come from Ally's performances, laced throughout all her semi-autobiographical lyrics and her consistent grapple with her image being morphed. But a great strong point of the film is its avoidance of easy conventions, and tropes concerning the loss of an artist's personal touch, as Ally still retains that unmistakable spirit to her songwriting and her performances, even as she begins rolling with the punches of her newly rising image, at no point attempting to suppress her feelings or commitment despite it.

And while casting himself in the title role may not have been the most unbiased form of judgment, Cooper does realize just what incredible chemistry he and Gaga share onscreen, letting those interactions play to their fullest. I think what makes this movie as heartbreaking as it is depends entirely upon that central romance, and to the movie's benefit it is incredibly genuine. It's perfectly paced out with so many well-placed beats and key building scenes, especially because while habits between the two may be toxic, it doesn't feel as if the bond between the two is toxic. At one point, it does seems to be going in the way of soap opera, but overall I commend the film for not falling into easy jealousy that would have bogged the film down. This is a natural bond that excels thanks to the passion that the two have for each other, the belief in their mutual abilities to do incredible things, and in any other setting this could be a perfect match.

But even so, it's under a set of far too extreme circumstances. Love can heal, love can make a person better, but there's still only so much that it can do on its own. Just the daily struggle of Jackson's drinking and the small victories of his sobriety is enough of a challenge, hinting at deeper and greater mental illness and internal damage that the soothing presence of another human being alone may not be able to fix. It becomes especially pronounced in the loud stadium settings, full of riotous cheering and deafening crowd reactions that pit the viewer headfirst into its main characters' abrasive and chaotic headspace, that feel like a thousand loud voices screaming in your ear (and I'd say this movie really benefits from being seen with the best speaker quality possible). While some minor touches don't show a lot of subtlety, Cooper projects a tremendous level of confidence to his direction, creating at once a film that feels satisfying, but doesn't downplay the aching and tragic pains of a lost soul.

And while Gaga may be the star that is born with this film, and deserving of all the plaudits to come her way, Cooper - established though he may already be - also proves himself as an incredibly gifted leader. "All you gotta do is trust me" assures Jackson to Ally, and that trust in Cooper is not taken for granted, this being a confident and superbly realized update to familiar territory that still carries resonance. I reiterate: A Star is Born is fantastic!


****1/2 / *****