5/5
“A Star Is Born” is a movie that has featured the biggest stars throughout time. With big names in the preceding films such as Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand, it was a bold choice for director Bradley Cooper to choose Lady Gaga, famous for her eccentric image in popular music, to play this classic starring role. However, Gaga’s voice leaves the audience with lumps in their throats and tears in their eyes — which is something of magic. The country-music undertones bring out a soulful side of Gaga that is rarely seen in her gimmicky pop music. When she sings, it’s straight from her soul, which in the film is something that Jackson Maine (Cooper) tells her character, Ally, to never lose.
A star truly is born in this film, or rather reborn, as Lady Gaga explores her new talent in acting and marries this with her gifted voice to create an absolutely flawless performance. “I’ll Never Love Again” may be the most chilling song she has ever performed for an audience.
With its heartbreaking lyrics and powerful melody, it is hard not to weep like a baby as she belts from her heart. She even takes on Edith Piaf’s classic “La Vie En Rose” in its original French language with perfect execution. It is hard to watch this film without falling in love with Gaga in all of her glory.
Alongside Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper plays a country star, Jackson Maine, who is also an alcoholic and addict. He meets Ally (Gaga) who is a struggling artist and instantly falls in love with her. As her fame grows, he spirals while grappling with the decline of his own career. Cooper portrays the disease in an honest manner, showing how truly difficult life is for an alcoholic. His chemistry with Gaga is undeniable, their scenes almost feeling unscripted and authentic. After seeing him in several films for years, it is a fact that Cooper is a phenomenal actor and artist, however, audiences everywhere were waiting to see how he would sound as a singer for this project. As a singer and music-enthusiast, I cannot deny my appreciation for his talent. He is gifted with a naturally beautiful voice that is completely appropriate for his character. It complements Lady Gaga’s powerhouse sound perfectly, using his low, raspy notes to balance out her powerful tone. Their romance is captivating as Cooper and Gaga’s performances make the audience believe in every second of the film.
This is precisely what makes the conclusion of this piece so heartbreaking, the overwhelming sense of hope that Jackson could get through the darkness in order to be with Ally. Although this project features this difficult subject matter and has many highs and lows, I believe that this is a must-see for everyone in the world. Do yourself a favor and make time to watch this film and appreciate it for what it is. This movie is truly a work of art, and I know I will be playing the soundtrack at all times from now on.
You can still see A Star is Born Cinemagic Merrimack, Chunky’s Cinema Pub, Regal Hooksett 8, Cinemagic Hooksett, and many more around New Hampshire and Massachusetts!
