Film Review: A Star is Born

Adapted from the 1976 and 1937 dramas of the same name, A Star is Born sees grizzled, world-weary musician Jackson Maine meet and, pretty darn quickly, fall in love with Ally, a singer with a stunning voice, a glint in her eye and a day job working in a hotel kitchen. Ally has essentially given up of any dreams she held of becoming a singer when, lo and behold, Jackson stumbles drunkenly into the bar in which she is performing. After being quickly coaxed into the spotlight, Ally’s career starts to gain traction as Jackson battles with his demons and the bottle.

Despite the fact that the film was about 20 minutes too long, lagged somewhat in the second act and had a few moments that felt a touch unbelievable, I still cared enough about the two protagonists to be fully invested in the narrative. Both characters are very well-crafted and engaging; Bradley Cooper’s Jackson is absolutely believable as a celebrated musician who has become entirely disillusioned and depressed, whilst simultaneously being crippled by alcoholism and tinnitus. Meanwhile, Lady Gaga is sensational as the punchy-yet-sweet, innocent-yet-wise Ally. Their relationship is tender, frustrating, loving and heartbreaking as the dynamic of celebrity shifts.

This isn’t quite the epic, emotional powerhouse that it wants to be, but it does pack something of a punch and is worth watching for a truly excellent performance from Lady Gaga. Equally, the onstage scenes are really impressively executed, looking truly authentic and sounding great.