A Star Is Born Review, Trailer, Plot Synopsis, Posters And More
Seasoned musician Jackson Maine discovers -- and falls in love with -- struggling artist Ally. She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer until Jackson coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally's career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jackson fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons.
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A STAR IS BORN - Official Trailer 1
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A STAR IS BORN - One Reason
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A STAR IS BORN Posters And Photos
A STAR IS BORN Review
Similar to many (most?) actors-turned directors, Cooper takes a performance-driven storytelling approach in his first time behind the camera. At the same time, he's clearly knowledgeable about the technical side of the filmmaking process and brings a personal creative touch to the proceedings on A Star is Born. The film's concert musical numbers are especially impressive, as Cooper and his cinematographer Matthew Libatique (Darren Aronofsky's frequent collaborator) photograph the live shows in ways that are both visually striking and truly unique in their composition. A Star is Born is further effective in creating a stylishly impressionist portrait of its characters' experiences and makes heavy use of closeups, natural lighting and careful sound design, in order to keep their story feeling intimate throughout. The film's structure is similarly unconventional, as Cooper and his editor Jay Cassidy (who previously worked together on Cooper's collaborations with David O. Russell) frequently use jump cuts or equally dramatic transitions to keep the plot flowing along at a steady pace. A Star is Born's editing might be a bit divisive for that same reason, but it arguably serves to trim any unnecessary material from the narrative.
Jack and Ally's relationship itself (naturally) serves as the emotional core of A Star is Born and benefits in no small amount from the easy-going chemistry between Cooper and Gaga. Cooper in particular delivers one of his most emotionally rich performances yet as Jack, a character who could have easily come off as creepy and self-entitled but is charismatic and sympathetic in Cooper's hands - making it all the easier to believe that people would flock to him, despite his self-destructive behavior. Gaga holds her own against Cooper for the large part, but neither the Ally character nor Gaga's performance are as fully developed or nuanced as her costar's here. Nevertheless, the romantic sparks that fly between Cooper and Gaga onscreen feel natural and unforced, thus making it all the easier for audiences to become emotionally invested in their love story (even if you know - or suspect - its ultimate trajectory going in). Cooper the director also draws strong performances from his ensemble cast here, with the standouts including Sam Elliott in a stirring (and sometimes even heart-breaking) turn as Jack's put-upon manager Bobby and Andrew Dice Clay as Ally's father Lorenzo, a character who manages to be funny and touching in equal measure. The main issue that prevents A Star is Born from being a full-blown grand slam is that it works better as a romantic drama than a cautionary tale about the fleeting cycle of fame and success in show business. Cooper's remake is at its strongest during its first and third acts, when the focus is more squarely on Jack and Ally's blossoming relationship and (subsequently) Jack's downward spiral. However, A Star is Born starts to get more hand-wavy during its second act, which is when it shifts its attention to juxtaposing Ally's fast rise to superstardom with Jack's fading presence in the spotlight. The film simply doesn't have much to say about the fickle nature of showbiz fame that hasn't been articulated better in movies past and is disappointingly shallow in its perspective on pop music and what the concept of "selling out" even means. In other words: A Star is Born is an excellent romantic drama that's held back by the fact that it eventually has to be, well, A Star is Born remake. Overall, though, A Star is Born is a great start to Cooper's directing career and generally lives up to the early hype that it's generated during its tour of the film festival circuit, ahead of its theatrical release. In addition to the impressive acting and craftsmanship, A Star is Born is further bolstered by its memorable original tunes and the singing by Cooper (who does quite well here, despite his lack of a professional singing background) and - obviously - Gaga. The musical concert numbers alone would make the film worth seeing in a theater for the enhanced audio, but it's the other elements that elevate A Star is Born into one of the must-see films of Fall 2018 for movie buffs. Here's to hoping Cooper and Gaga's own time in the limelight is far from over, for related reasons. I give A Star is Born 9/10 |
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