Two weekends ago I went to see A Star is Born and I was a bit weary at first, but being that I am a long time Gaga supporter, I had to do her the justice in seeing it. I was a bit apprehensive in seeing her in film, as I remembered her in American Horror Story Hotel. In AHS I always saw her still as Lady Gaga, not as the character she was supposed to be. Nonetheless, I was excited to see her star in another role, especially sing (because I miss her albums dearly). I was wondering if I would just think of her as Lady Gaga the whole time or if she would really fit into her part. I also thought the combination of Bradley Cooper and Gaga was an interesting mix and I wanted to evaluate their own screen relationship.
To give a quick synopsis, the movie is about a journey to stardom, a journey of addiction and recovery, and a roller-coaster relationship through it all. This iconic love story is full of romance, comedy, passion and songs that stay with you after the movie has ended.
As you may or may not know, this was the THIRD remake of the movie since it first came out in 1937. After a few cheesy remakes, we were blessed with this in 2018. This adaptation really delves into an intensely sensitive subject that’s often overlooked, not only in Hollywood, but in the rest of the world. Substance abuse. As the movie goes on, you begin to understand that Bradley Cooper’s character, Jackson Maine, is a severe alcoholic. Yet, for most of the time, this alcoholism goes unnoticed by many. I found myself sitting there wondering why he keeps resorting to this, despite all of the good in his life. Throughout the movie, his problems with this addiction develop and start to affect others’ lives. An accurate depiction of how being an addict of any kind affects others. In a way, you get to see that perspective, which I don’t think is shown in such a raw way today. It’s important for us to recognize that these are issues that really affect lives.
The whirlwind of romance and this fantastic heart wrenching plot is sure to leave you with watery eyes, or uncontrollably sobbing (like me). It lets you escape into this unknown world of the music industry and deep passion.
In all, I recommend seeing this. I have been playing the soundtrack nonstop since I saw it and will be 100% seeing it again this weekend!