Bradley Cooper has pulled off something special with his directing debut, the latest remake of the 1937 showbiz drama, "A Star is Born." He not only plays the male lead, country music singer-songwriter Jackson Maine, but sings all his own songs with credible rock star charisma and skill. Multiple concert sequences reveal that Cooper has an excellent voice and performance chops. However, "A Star is Born" isn't about Jackson Maine's stage triumphs, but his relationship with a rising ingenue and his painful downfall.
Once again, the aging, alcoholic star on a downward trajectory crosses paths with a burgeoning talent on the verge of fame and success. This time the story is set in the music world, and the female lead, Ally, is played by Lady Gaga. There are a few modern day signifiers like Ally and Jackson having their first meeting during a drag queen show, and Ally's career taking off due to a viral video, but otherwise it's the same old story. Ally and Jackson fall in love and make beautiful music together before Jackson's alcoholism and inner demons start to drag them both down. I've only seen one of the previous versions of "A Star is Born," the 1954 musical directed by George Cukor, and starring Judy Garland and James Mason. I can happily report that Cooper's version is up to snuff both musically and dramatically.
Of course, he had a lot of help. As impressive as Cooper sounds, he's no match for the towering vocal force that is Lady Gaga, who proves to be just as deft a dramatic actress as she is a singer. The real showstopper numbers on the soundtrack all belong to her. Sam Elliott and Andrew Dice Clay turn in great supporting work, playing Jackson's long-suffering brother and Ally's supportive father, respectively. Matthew Libatique is also a key player here, with his cinematography keeping the love story very intimate, the concert sequences immersive, and the spotlight alternately thrilling or excruciating as needed. The soundtrack credits are full of eye-catching names, including Lukas Nelson, Mark Ronson, and a little Edith Piaf too.
The key here is that the romance between Jackson and Ally feels so genuine, built on a lot of smaller personal interactions that run the gamut from adorable to hurtful. Moreover, these are intelligent, grounded characters, who are very appealing. Ally has already had skirmishes with the recording industry and doesn't need Jackson to tell her that she's talented. Jackson has the best of intentions, and is wonderfully generous, but can't control his self-destructive habits. Together, they have real chemistry as both lovers and collaborators. Their big duet, "Shallow," is the highlight of the film, and not for the actual song. Rather, it's Ally slowly but surely working up the courage to approach the microphone that is the real delight.
The second half of the film is rockier than the first, as the story shifts to focus more on Jackson's descent, and we lose the sense of joyous discovery that propels the romance. Cooper's performance is fine, but the narrative here is messier and some of his choices get a little self-indulgent. However, as a film nerd, I can't be too upset about the loving references to the previous versions of "A Star is Born" or Cooper taking the time to put his own stamp on a few iconic lines and scenes. Dave Chappelle dropping in for a few scenes and disappearing again just as quickly is a little annoying, but who am I to complain about getting more Dave Chappelle?
Everyone's sick of remakes, but "A Star is Born" has proven to be such a timeless story, this version feels overdue. I'm always going to prefer the Judy Garland one because I love Judy Garland and George Gershwin's songs, but the 2018 "A Star is Born" is exactly what it should be, and far better than I expected. I'm a little sad that the version that Clint Eastwood was planning with Beyonce never panned out, but I don't think Eastwood could have made a version as personal or as passionate as this. I still have my quibbles about Bradley Cooper, but I look forward to whatever he wants to make next.
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