REVIEW: A Star Is Born

A Star Is Born is one of the most remade films in the history of Hollywood. There have been four different versions of it so far and each one of them has the same basic premise. A young talented girl meets a seasoned musician and he helps make her famous, along the way the two fall in love and as the girl’s popularity is increasing, the man is being pushed out of the spotlight. All these films at their core are about the highs and lows of that relationship. The most recent interpretation stars Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, who also wrote and directed the film.

I was initially very skeptical of this film, given the recent trend of rebooting just about every movie ever made with little regard for quality. However, this film is not like that at all, everything from the story, the characters, and the cinematography is expertly crafted by people who obviously cared a lot about the final product.

The main concern many people had with A Star Is Born was Gaga’s performance given that she still hasn’t completely shaken her original fantastical popstar image. She had a lot riding on her shoulders, not only because it is her first big starring roles outside of American Horror Story. I am happy to say that she knocks it out of the park. There is so much authenticity in her performance that you forget that she is a world-famous pop star. I can’t help but think that her background as a musician brought something to this role that not many other people could. Cooper also does an amazing job and his chemistry with Gaga is electric while seemingly effortless.

The writing in this film is also top notch. The dialogue feels so natural, that you forget you’re watching a movie at times. The plot is gripping and emotional even though at times things seem to go at a snail’s pace. Still, the movie keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens. Cooper did a great job with the writing duties and in director’s chair, especially considering that this was his directorial debut.

The other star in this film besides the cast is the music, and believe me when I say that you will have several of these tunes stuck in your head when you walk out of the theatre. However, It isn’t just good music, it’s an integral part of the story and the way it changes throughout the story to represents the characters’ journeys. Overall, it was beautifully executed. Gaga’s performances were as amazing as I expected, but I was surprised at just how good Copper’s were as well. He has an excellent voice and his performances were filled with passion. You really buy him as a rock star.

I have a hard time finding anything negative to say about this movie, but I will say that it is long at a runtime of 2 hours and 17 minutes. There are moments where the pace can stop dead in its tracks. Other than that, this film is amazing and filled with an emotional story, fantastic performances, and wonderful music. If you are skeptical about this film because it’s another seemingly unnecessary remake or you’re concerned about Lady Gaga’s performance, I would still encourage you to give A Star Is Born a chance, it is definitely worth it.