Don’t bring a hankie when you see A Star Is Born – bring a whole friggin’ box of Kleenex.
Actor Bradley Cooper directs this fourth movie version of A Star Is Born, and the story is essentially the same. A celebrity artist struggles with addiction, enough to have his career teetering on the downward arc. He befriends and mentors a young artist. They become a couple. Then her career skyrockets. Will their relationship last? Will he drag her down? Can she save him? In this version, Cooper himself plays the alcoholic rock star Jackson and Lady Gaga plays the unknown singer-songwriter Ally.
It’s a remarkably effective drama, with plenty of laughs and affecting romance. I’m not quite sure whether A Star Is Born is technically a melodrama or a tragedy, but I know that it’s a wonderful movie.
The key to this triumph is that it’s the creation of director Bradley Cooper, who could be well on his way to a Clint Eastwood career as both a movie star and an important filmmaker. Cooper masterfully modulates the pathos, injecting just enough humor to leaven the tragedy. But here’s the marker of artistic genius: there 7.6 billion people alive on this planet and EXACTLY ONE of them thought of remaking A Star Is Born with Lady Gaga.
Lady Gaga turns out to be a fine movie actress and perfect for the role of Ally. In this film, she’s funny, spunky, sassy, passionate, vulnerable, grieving and an overall force of nature; and when she sings – look out.
As an actor, Cooper is always appealing. Here, he’s especially good – acting only with his eyes – when he receives a harsh appraisal of his effect on Ally’s career. The wonderful Sam Elliott plays Jackson’s brother, and Cooper intentionally lowered his voice to the Sam Elliott (and Bruce Bochy) level. Rafi Gavron is especially effective as an icy, slick and ruthless Svengali. Andrew Dice Clay, Anthony Ramos and Dave Chappelle are all very good in supporting roles.
A Star Is Born is a Must See and one of 2018’s best movies.