402. A Star Is Born; movie review

A STAR IS BORN
Cert 15
136 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong language, drugs misuse

Miss W has moved out and now has her own house but to make sure we catch up regularly she has vowed to come to the flicks with me more often.
First up was a good choice - with a performance by Lady Gaga (alias Stefani Germanotta) worthy of Oscar consideration.
Gaga is terrific as Ally, a hugely talented singer desperate to break away from the dead-end job and life at home with her doting dad.
She is discovered in a drag bar by an alcoholic rock star (Bradley Cooper) who is blown away by her incredible rendition of Edith Piaf's La Vie En Rose.
Thereafter, he prompts her to join him on the road and gives her a springboard to success.
Meanwhile, his own star is waning, largely because of his battle with the bottle and him being in denial over developing tinnitus.
The storyline is the least interesting element of A Star Is Born. Its outcomes are pretty predictable.
However, the raw performances from Gaga and Cooper, who is making his directorial feature debut, are superb.
Gaga, who fans have only ever seen heavily made up and with neon-esque hair, is pared back to her natural beauty to reflect the innocence of a character who is fighting for a break but is naive about those who she will encounter if she gets it.
She plays her part with total conviction and boy, can she hold a note too - this soundtrack knocks The Greatest Showman (even though I liked it), La La Land (ditto) and Mamma Mia 2 (not so good) into a collective cocked hat.
Meanwhile, Cooper also proves so able on the mic that there are rumours of him playing Glastonbury next year.
Quite how he managed to cut his director's teeth as well as be the lead actor on A Star Is Born is anyone's guess but he accomplishes both with style.
There is also stand-out support from Sam Elliott as the drunken singer's manager/brother and Andrew Dice Clay as the protege's single-parent father.
A Star Is Born may go over old ground but it is brought bang up to date and I can re-affirm that it is not just chicks who are going gaga over Gaga.

Reasons to watch: Brilliant performances and superb soundtrack
Reasons to avoid: Predictable plot

Laughs: Two 
Jumps: None
Vomit: Yes
Nudity: Yes
Overall rating: 8.5/10

Director quote - Bradley Cooper: "I was at a cancer benefit with my mother, I really did not know Lady Gaga’s music. They had a surprise musical guest, and Stefani came out with her hair slicked back, and she sang ‘La Vie en Rose.’ I was blown away."

The big question - Is this the birth of a movie megastar?
.

Share this post