A Star is Born is the 4th or 5th telling of this particular story. I have only previously seen the 1976 version with Barbara Streisand. Bradley Cooper directs and stars and he is great as Jackson Maine the already established star who discovers Lady Gaga. As her star rises his falls dramatically with tragic consequences. The first third of the film brilliantly sets the story up and to my mind contains the films strongest songs in this particular segment. Lady Gaga really convinces as the waitress who is taken on a journey to the top. Sam Elliott plays Cooper's brother and the interaction between the 2 is fantastic. Elliot really captures how much he cares for his troubled younger brother and this is apparent when he is showing concern for Cooper's hearing loss. If i was to direct any criticism at the film it would probably be that it runs on a little too long. The middle section when Lady Gaga makes it to the top could have been trimmed a little as this section always seems to lag a bit for me when i watch the film. The final act though is fantastic with what i consider the most powerful and heart breaking scene in the film. This scene is where Lady Gaga's manager tells Cooper exactly what he thinks of him. Cooper's acting here is superb as you can see the pain etched on his face and into his soul, and the damage that conversation does changes all the characters lives forever. In summary A Star Is Born is a film which i have revisited a few times since i first saw it. It contains a great soundtrack and great performances and really is a modern classic.
Review of A Star Is Born
