A Star is Born, playing both at the Downtown Cinema in San Luis Obispo and the Bay Theater in Morro Bay, proved to be an emotional watch. The movie starred singer Lady Gaga and actor Bradley Cooper, and was produced/directed by Cooper himself. Though I went into the movie a little skeptical of the quality of their performance, I was pleasantly surprised with the acting performance by Lady Gaga and the singing performance of Cooper.
Although this movie is the 3rd remake of the same general plot idea, it was definitely a fresh take on the story given that it is set in a more current time with more current problems. Each scene kept me guessing. It was well shot and kept the tension running high throughout the film even though you had an idea of how it would eventually play out.
Though it was a drama, many scenes highlighted common struggles in life like addiction, depression, and self doubt which really ‘sold’ the movie to many people and made it seem more realistic. The movie left you thinking about what the modern-day music industry really values, and how fame can change someone into somebody that they are not.
As far as the actual vocals and music, the movie depicted the atmosphere of live concerts and songs well. The singing was authentic and hit hard with emotional lyrics, enormous concerts and powerful duets. All fanfare aside, Lady Gaga’s powerful lead voice and Bradley Cooper’s country style voice blended together well.
The movie also provided and interesting argument on the selectiveness of the modern music industry and how it is often based on appearance rather than talent. It went on to argue that sometimes singers sacrifice a part of themselves for the sake of popularity and the expectation held against them by society. As a disclaimer, this movie is R-rated for explicit content and alcoholism which could be triggering for some viewers.
This movie thrives on the big screen, and is definitely worth the price of the movie ticket and the large popcorn! Bring some tissues.
