'A Star Is Born' is a must-see classic

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper have never been better

In an interview on her talk show in 2011, Ellen Degeneres tells Lady Gaga (aka Stefani Germanotta) that she has to go into acting, to which Lady Gaga responds hesitantly, "Well, I'm not sure." 

Well, thank goodness Lady Gaga took Degeneres' advice, because "A Star Is Born" wouldn't be complete without Gaga's daring and raw performance. 

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While this is the fourth remake of "A Star Is Born," director, co-writer and actor Bradley Cooper updates the classic love story for an Instagram-obsessed world. 

Cooper's Jackson Maine (who knew he could sing so well?) is an aging, drunken rocker who stumbles upon a drag bar, in search of even more booze after a show and meets a slew of drag queens and his soon-to-be star -- Lady Gaga's Ally doing a rousing rendition of "La Vie En Rose" that totally captivates Cooper's pill-popping character.  

While this wasn't Lady Gaga's first time putting on her acting hat (she won a Golden Globe for her performance in "American Horror Story"), Cooper uses all of Gaga's levers and buttons, and pushes every ounce of talent out of her as possible. When Jackson and Ally first take the stage together at one of Jackson's huge shows, sparks immediately fly, all behind Cooper's camera that puts you face-to-face with the artists. Each musical number is like being in the head of Jackson and Ally. 

The first half of the film is a joy to watch as Jackson and Ally discover each other and write song after song that will undoubtedly be hits on the movie's soundtrack. Cooper takes a back seat as Lady Gaga works every acting muscle she has. 

The second half of the film is a slow burn as Ally deals with the reality of celebrity and Jackson is brought even further by his vices. The film looses a bit of its plot and timeline, and Lady Gaga isn't given a lot of room to stretch until the very end, but Cooper's performance reels it back in to make the movie worth it. 

Now we must wait to see if Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper will win Oscars for their incredible work, but in the mean time, go see " A Star Is Born" and dive into its incredible soundtrack below. 

 


About the Author:

Jack is a Digital Content Editor with a degree in creative writing and French from Western Michigan University. He specializes in writing about movies, food and the latest TV shows.