Review By Nick Herod (Detroit)
A Star Is Born is a remake of the 1937 original and is directed by Bradley Cooper in his directorial debut. The film stars Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Dave Chappelle, and Sam Elliott. The film is about Jackson Maine (Cooper), an alcoholic rock star who heading towards the end of his career. After a concert, he stops to get some drinks at a bar not realizing that it’s a drag bar. As he’s drinking, he watches Lady Gaga’s character Ally perform a French tune, and he instantly gains feelings for her. He soon helps Ally get into the music industry, and also gives new meaning to his career. Throughout the film, there are many concert scenes that all include live performances from Gaga and Cooper. It gave the film a much more realistic and mesmerizing feeling to the film. Most of the music was also written by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, featuring hits such as Always Remember Us This Way, Maybe It’s Time, and the feature song Shallow.
The acting in the film is phenomenal. Lady Gaga especially was fantastic. This is also her first time acting for a key role in a major motion picture. She gives a performance that makes you truly understand the struggles she is going through and makes you feel as if you knew her your entire life. Her chemistry is also phenomenal with Bradley Cooper. It’s the type of chemistry where you forget they’re acting and start believing what you’re watching is real. Sam Elliott was also great in the film, playing Jackson Maine’s brother Bobby. He isn’t in the film a lot but when he is he steals the spotlight. But the person who deserves the most recognition is Bradley Cooper. Not only did he star in the film, but he also directed, co-wrote the screenplay and the music, learned how to sing and play guitar, and produced the film. With all those tasks something could’ve easily gone wrong, but instead he proved that he is arguably the most talented person in Hollywood.
There only a few problems with this film. The first issue is the run time. The film is 2 hours and 15 minutes and could easily be condensed to 2 hours. The second problem is the songwriting. As the film goes on the songs seem more and more unoriginal and repetitive. It felt like the songwriters just gave up in the middle of the writing process and decided to write songs that are catchy and uninspired. The last issue with the film is the amount of screen time Sam Elliott received. It felt like he was robbed because every single scene he’s in proves that he is one of the greatest actors around. With more screen time he could’ve made a much bigger impact on the film.
Recently there has been a lot of award talk about A Star Is Born and rightfully so. This film, in my opinion, is the best film of the year. It is one of the few films this year that has an extreme range of emotions from love to suffering. This is one of those films that could be nominated for many awards and earned and deserves all of them. Overall, the film is phenomenal with powerful performances, a rocking soundtrack, and the greatest chemistry combination with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper this year. Cooper’s directorial debut was a great one and I can’t wait to see what he has for us next.
Rating: 4/5
A star is born … Kam’s film review for the few!
A star is born, thought it was gonna be another yawn! Instead I was pleasantly surprised as it depicted the rise & demise of a new & fledgling old stars.
A rock star walks into a bar & is instantly smitten by a singing & dancing kitten, that ignites a relationship with bite & vigour. Together they become bigger as one is propelled into new solo heights, but she never forgets who changed her plight!
Some heartwarming songs are prolonged to disguise the ding dongs which are fueled by drugs & alcoholic deception! The rocky relationship is exposed as the cooperate element becomes the filament of their light that begins to blight! But true love sticks until its spiked by the commercialised divisive mist that has the wrong gist as it begins to weave & twist against the duo.
Acting is real as you begin to feel the pain & gain of the couple. Characters are evolved in a natural, yet progressive & effective manner. The true traits of the rockstar life style are exposed as souls are ripped out of the idols & replaced with alien personas to match the marketing glitz.
The cracks start to appear as the career owners begin to sneer & steer the marriage apart. The ending is what was feared as commercialisation peppered with globalisation succumbs the individualism that grew the original unique seed.
There is money-chase that leads ultimately to heartache. Emotions run high & eventually dry out to commercial clout, so what one sought isn’t wot it’s all about! The record companies turn the screw as the stars become the new aroma brew. It’s an emotional rollercoaster that will bolster your anti music cooperative stance as by them life is never left to chance as you are made to dance to the tune they want to play!
Bradley & lady Gaga show real chemistry in their roles as they excel to gel in this believable storyline.
The movie is superb in its portrayal of a real life tail so sail into a cinema & nail your ticket.
Kam Copycat 2018
Amazing remake!!! Bradley is fantastic and Gaga sings. Best couple!!!!
Although I miss his brother playing on stage at the last song. Could dismiss the orchestra and bring only family/friends…
I don’t see why everyone is Raving and Crying over this Movie Star is Born starring Bradley Cooper and Stephanie (Lady Gaga). I just want to say first GAG and AUGH. I already have it for Barabara Streissand which I am sorry you just can’t top her with this lame I can sing movie. I watch the how much did that cost in advertising to get Ellen TV , Good Morning American and even People TV to say such great things about it. If you paid me… I still would be a bit critical.
I just can’t see Bradley Cooper in films, his only one I thought he did okay in was American Sniper with Clint Eastwood. But come on Clint has got it going on. I think what really even saved it was Sam Elliott. Everyone likes him. Especially my favorite with him in Road House. For Stephanie she needs to go back to American Horror on FX. Cause she still looks like a monster to me. She came in this industry as a freakshow and I just can’t seem to change my mind about her. It is like Marilyn Manson when he took his makeup off. It just seemed ridiculous. If you are born that way stay that way. Plus if I would give anyone an award in this film it would be the Dog. Charlie. Kudos to the Boy!
Rating: 1/5
It’s a real shame you have to be so horrible about someone’s looks. Ever thought she used her make up to cover her insecurities it’s just a shame bullies like you have to bring people that are insecure down. Them being the reason she’s probably insecure! I think she’s beautiful!
Awesome Movie! It will make you laugh, make you cry and make you ask Why!! Must see. The songs are so passionate! Bradley Cooper is outstanding!! So talented, who knew he could sing, write songs and play guitar???
Bring on the Oscars! Best Picture, Best Director- Bradley Cooper, Best Original Song– any of them!! Best Costume- the Lady Ga Ga transformation was indeed a lot of make up… also Bradley went from aging drunk to sexy as heck. Bravo Bradley! Lady Ga Ga can sing… acting was a stretch, but it’s a musical.
Dave Chappelle is in it… his role could have been larger, but it was memorable!
I believe it’s “We’re far from the shallow now” and not “We fall from the shallow now”…
At least that’s what I heard and it’s what Billboard quotes as the lyrics to “shallow”…
Thanks for pointing out the error. We’ve updated it to show the correct words. If you notice anymore mistakes, please do let us know as we always appreciate it.
I seen the movie last night and I didn’t hear the line that Jacks friend Noodle says “this is the first time I’m worried about you” Did I miss it or did they leave that line out in the movie?