When I first heard that Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper were starring in the latest remake of "A Star Is Born" I was intrigued. I love Lady Gaga, I have jammed out for probably too long to many of her songs (long after they were off the radio.) I love Bradley Cooper, as he seems to have a pretty wide range of acting skills. I was weary though, as Lady Gaga is not really an actress, except for her stint on "American Horror Story," and Bradley Cooper, from my knowledge of him, wasn't a singer.
I went to see it, and I was blown away. Not only was the story compelling and heart-wrenching, but the music was amazing. I was really skeptical at first as there is no lead into the story. It just starts with Jack (Bradley Cooper) giving a concert onstage while high on drugs.
As the movie kept going, I got really into it. I clapped at the end of one of Ally's (Lady Gaga's) songs. I was engrossed in the world of Jack and Ally, watching as they struggled through Jack's drug addiction and alcoholism. I was rooting for Ally as she was recognized and became a star.
I really enjoyed the movie. It had a lot of important commentaries throughout that weren't shoved in your face, but were very present. As I watched Jack struggle with his addictions, I couldn't help but think about how our society treats stars with these issues. I think back to when Demi Lovato overdosed, and how people said it was her fault. I think to when Mac Miller died and everyone blamed Ariana Grande for his relapse.
Ally was right by Jack's side, even as he struggled. She never blamed him. She was straight up with him, at one point saying "I will never ride that thing with you if you've been drinking" referencing his motorcycle. Her manager, however, did blame Jack, seemingly not understanding or caring that this was something Jack has struggled with for his whole life. He sees Jack as trying to ruin Ally's chances of making it, and he tells Jack that.
The movie also shows how artists are often corrupted in order to succeed. When Ally first sings with Jack, her songs are powerful, with a rock flair. When her manager takes over the production of her album and music videos, the rock flair is taken away and replaced by a pop dance vibe and dancers. Her songs are still powerful, but her image becomes one of fitting into the "female music world."
As I cried at the end of the movie, I couldn't stop thinking about how powerful Lady Gaga's performance was. She was entirely convincing to me. Her performance made me laugh, made me cry, and made me gasp with how real it was. She shined in this movie, and if she wants to be an actress, she certainly could.
