In 1937, William A. Wellman’s A Star Is Born was released, starring Janet Gaynor and Frederic March. The film was nominated for several Academy Awards including Best Picture, winning for Best Writing (Original Story). In 1954, the film was remade by director George Cukor with Judy Garland and James Mason in the lead roles. Despite production issues, the film was nominated for several Oscars, including Best Actress for Garland and Best Actor for Mason. In 1976, yet another remake was made, this time directed by Frank Pierson and starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. While not as critically acclaimed as the two previous versions, the film was still a hit with audiences. It became the 3rd highest grossing film of the year and won the Oscar for Best Original Song. Flash forward to 2018, 42 years later, where Bradley Cooper makes his directorial debut with the latest version.
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Bradley Cooper plays aging country singer Jackson Maine, who’s struggling with drug and alcohol abuse despite his success. One night after a concert, Jackson inadvertently walks into a drag bar, where he meets Ally (Lady Gaga). Jackson is amazed at her talent and decides to take her under his wing to help bolster her career. Though reluctant at first, Ally goes along with him at the suggestion of her father (Andrew Dice Clay). After a concert where Jackson invites Ally to sing along with him, the two start touring and start a relationship. But while things seem to be looking up, Jackson continues struggling with his addictions, waining popularity, and family issues. Ally soon finds herself getting picked up by an agent (Rafi Gavron), who makes her a pop sensation. But even through all the ups and downs, Jackson and Ally try their best to maintain their relationship.
Going into this movie, I had little to no reference for this movie, having not seen the other versions. That being said, this movie was a genuinely beautiful and simultaneously tragic story of love, addiction, fame, and personal struggles. For starters, Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga are absolutely fantastic here, and they have phenomenal chemistry with each other. You really feel that these people truly love each other and want to stay together through thick and thin. Cooper, who also directed the film, greatly portrays how addition can ruin your life without it feeling preachy. Lady Gaga, despite her real world persona, is very likable and you get excited when she starts succeeding. Plus, they do a great job with the music, as all the songs are well performed and memorable. Some other stand-outs include Sam Elliot as Jackson’s brother, Andrew Dice Clay as Ally’s father, and even Dave Chapelle.
Honestly, that’s all I can really say about it without spoiling the movie, suffice it to say it gets emotional. While I generally don’t cry in movies, this one definitely got me in the feels. Granted, if you’re following along with the movie, you can kind of figure out how it will end. Even knowing that, you still hope and pray that things will get better, which is a testament to its quality. This is a tremendous film, especially from a first-time director, and I look forward to seeing Cooper direct more movies. I can already see this movie getting several Oscar nominations, especially for Best Actor, Best Actress, and possibly Best Picture. Overall, A Star Is Born is a beautiful, sweet, and tragic film that’ll stick with you for years to come.
