| My rating | IMDb | Rotten Tomatoes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critics | Audience | Critics | Audience | |
| 9/10 | 88/100 | 8.6/10 | 91% | 87% |
“Everything Old is New Again” was never more accurate than now in the movie history. The number of remakes grows each year, with original screenplays becoming increasingly rare.
There are stories, however, that are so important and that resonate so much with the audience, that continue to be told in different ways. That means that each generation has its own version of the same story. And that is what happens with A Star Is Born.
Originally a drama in 1937, the star in the title was played by Janet Gaynor. In 1954, already a musical, Judy Garland is the protagonist and immortalizes the beautiful song “The Man That Got Away“. Finally, in 1976, the star is Barbra Streisand and the song is “Evergreen“, ending, therefore, an unofficial “trilogy”.
In 2018, after 42 years since the last time the tragic love story was released, it has a new version, revitalized for the current generation. A Star Is Born’s current leading lady is Lady Gaga, arguably one of the greatest and most influential artists of our times, and one of the biggest appealing elements of the movie. After all, not only does she act, but she also sings live and composes most of the songs.
After watching the movie, however, it is impossible not to acknowledge that Bradley Cooper shines, having also composed part of the songs, co-written the screenplay and debuted in the role of director.
Bradley Cooper plays Jack, a successful musician who has problems with alcohol and drugs. One night after a show, Jack looks for an open bar to continue drinking and ends up in a drag queens bar. There he meets Ally (Lady Gaga), a former waitress and only woman allowed to perform. Impressed with Ally’s talent, Jack quickly asks if she also composes and invites her to one of his concerts.
It is in this show that Ally and Jack sing together for the first time the song “Shallow” and, after that, Ally’s career is catapulted, thanks also to social media. As Ally’s success grows, Jack drinks more and his career begins to crumble.
Like Ally, Lady Gaga gets more confidence throughout the film, with her performance peaking in the final part of the movie. Bradley Cooper has a more consistent and impressive performance in both acting and singing. He also does a great job of directing, showing the great chemistry between the two characters as well as the pain both are going through.
The screenplay, however, could be a bit leaner, with some background stories that could have been avoided. The soundtrack, composed by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, along with others, also pleases a lot, especially the song “I’ll Never Love Again“.
Just like its predecessors, A Star Is Born is a film that involves the audience and has us rooting for the couple and for Jack to overcome his problems. It also involves with the songs and with the fantasy that romance can suddenly happen. It certainly will not be liked by everyone, just like the previous ones, but it is a new new package for this old story.
