Bradley Cooper's A Star Is Born is stellar. A delight for all senses, Cooper and Lady Gaga's performances, and beautiful musical numbers make for a melancholy and deeply enthralling show. An expertly done tale of sex, drugs and rock and roll, I enjoyed the movie's deep entrenchment in its themes of love and passion for one's art, and how fame can drive and destroy a person.
Ally's growth into stardom is cohesive and well-paced, and the chemistry between her and Jackson is strong. Their banter strikes a balance between believably charming and authentic without ever dragging on too long. I repeatedly found myself in awe of the subtle and clever revealing of Jackson's hang ups and weaknesses as we see the brilliant master go from leading the naive Ally to eventually falling from grace. It's a heartrending progression made crystal clear in no short part due to the superb directing with clever foreshadowing and soulful acting from the entire cast. No action or scene is put to waste, I found the entire film's narrative fluid and full of purpose. I WAS slightly surprised by Jackson and Ally's fast paced romance in the beginning, but it was quickly made a distant memory as the set up got me to the real meat of their love weathering the turbulence of stardom.
I didn't know what to expect going into A Star Is Born as I haven't watched too many films that focus on realistic celebrity issues, but I loved it - and enough to even look into the 1937 film! The concept was truly ahead of its time, and this film captures the same inspired vision. I eagerly look forward to Bradley Cooper's next project.
Brilliant and Mystifying
Bradley Cooper's A Star Is Born is stellar. A delight for all senses, Cooper and Lady Gaga's performances, and beautiful musical numbers make for a melancholy and deeply enthralling show. An expertly done tale of sex, drugs and rock and roll, I enjoyed the movie's deep entrenchment in its themes of love and passion for one's art, and how fame can drive and destroy a person.
Ally's growth into stardom is cohesive and well-paced, and the chemistry between her and Jackson is strong. Their banter strikes a balance between believably charming and authentic without ever dragging on too long. I repeatedly found myself in awe of the subtle and clever revealing of Jackson's hang ups and weaknesses as we see the brilliant master go from leading the naive Ally to eventually falling from grace. It's a heartrending progression made crystal clear in no short part due to the superb directing with clever foreshadowing and soulful acting from the entire cast. No action or scene is put to waste, I found the entire film's narrative fluid and full of purpose. I WAS slightly surprised by Jackson and Ally's fast paced romance in the beginning, but it was quickly made a distant memory as the set up got me to the real meat of their love weathering the turbulence of stardom.
I didn't know what to expect going into A Star Is Born as I haven't watched too many films that focus on realistic celebrity issues, but I loved it - and enough to even look into the 1937 film! The concept was truly ahead of its time, and this film captures the same inspired vision. I eagerly look forward to Bradley Cooper's next project.