A Star is Born shows you can teach an old dog, new tricks
Movie Rating 8.5 friends out of 10
Family Rating Adult Drama, frequent coarse language, mild sex scenes.
I have never been a fan of watching remakes and especially when the previous version was so well done. So having watched all three previous adaptations of ‘A Star is Born’ I wondered whether this newest version could compare favourably to the others. To its credit, it took the same story and brought it into a new era that made it relevant to today’s audience.
As the story has been told so many times, following the same premise each time, I am not going to try and not give away the storyline. So if you can honestly say you do not know the story then look away now.
Bradley Cooper plays Jackson Maine, a successful country-rock star who is struggling with addictions and tinnitus that is affecting his ongoing career. By accident, he meets Ally, played by Lady Gaga, who is an aspiring singer/songwriter who has never had the chance to showcase her skills. They immediately hit it off and Maine is blown away by Ally’s talent but there is little likely hood that their relationship will develop further. However, one thing leads to another and Ally joins Maine on the stage at one of his concerts and the rest is history. They make beautiful music together until a promoter convinces Ally that she should develop her own musical career as a pop artist. This decision leads to Ally becoming more successful, which Jackson has trouble dealing with and he gets back on to the alcohol and drugs. His downfall is complete when he upstages Ally during her Grammy acceptance speech. Jackson undergoes rehabilitation and that is where I finish the plot line so as to not spoil the end of the movie.
The movie pretty much revolves around Jackson and Ally’s careers and relationships and so they have to carry the movie. Both Cooper and Lady Gaga play their roles very convincingly and their interaction makes the relationship feel real. Cooper surprises with his singing skills and has a great husky voice that had me believing that he was the real deal. His character has flaws but he shows off a vulnerability that allows you to feel for him even with his weaknesses. If you are of an older generation and not familiar with the music of Lady Gaga I can tell you she has an amazing voice but was able to add another dimension when taking on the country ballad. More importantly, her acting was exceptional and I found her portrayal as a loving caring partner who was strong enough to demand better from her husband as very genuine. Unmasked from her pop image I found that she has a very earthy beauty and if she chooses to could carry off some very strong movie roles in the future. Of the rest of the cast, there is the stand out Sam Elliot, who is the atypical American cowboy, who plays Jackson’s older brother and manager.
The soundtrack is very good with a great mix of styles but strongly into the country rock, with Willie Nelson’s son Lukas and his band playing Jackson Maine’s band. Gaga moves from ballad to pop and back to ballad with ease and her voice carries the movie as Barbra Streisand’s did in the previous version of the movie. It is a soundtrack to listen to while driving rather than one you can sing along to but shows off both actors talents.
I can honestly say that I watched this movie not really expecting to rate it well but came out satisfied that this well-worn story had been given a new life that would appeal to both a modern audience and those who are watching A Star be Reborn.