Allan Watched "A Star Is Born"
A masterpiece with unquestioned star-power and heart, A Star Is Born is not only one of, if not the best, movie of 2018 so far, it is one of the greatest musical-drama films ever made.
Gut Feeling
A Star Is Born hits you in so many ways. The easiest thing to put into words is the world-class performance of Lady Gaga, and how lost you get in this love story that is beautifully wrapped in heartfelt musical. Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut is jarringly good, and what could have felt like a formulaic repeat of a story that has been successfully done for eight decades, it ends up feeling like nothing you have seen before. A Star Is Born could have been nine hours long and I would have been lost within every second of the story.
Lady Gaga Is A Cut Above The Rest
No one in the world could have played Ally like Lady Gaga. She is breathtaking, and you are able to appreciate that you are watching one of the most talented humans ever to walk on this planet, without expecting her to break out into “Bad Romance”. Ally feels separate from Gaga, and is a standalone masterpiece of a character. This film gives you some unique perspective about just how good she was, because you can line it up with performances by three of the best to ever live, Janet Gaynor, Judy Garland, and Barbra freaking Streisand, and Gaga rises to, if not surpasses, them all.
Everyone else in this movie is brilliant. Cooper’s take on Norman Maine (this time he is Jackson Maine) is much darker than we have seen from the character or him, and it lands. The way he looks at Ally, the way he plays music differently when she is there, and the way he hurts more when his disease effects her rather than just himself is so palpable, and I’d expect him to be nominated for many awards alongside Gaga.
The supporting cast is really what makes the movie great at every turn. Some of the most powerful scenes are with Sam Elliot (We Are Soldiers, other Ron in Parks and Rec), who plays Jackson’s half-brother Bobby. There are a lot of tear-jerking moments, and he is responsible for at least two of the ones that hit me hardest. The most surprising performance has to have been Andrew Dice Clay playing Ally’s dad. It is hard to recognize Dice in this supportive, flawed, loving father, and he rises to the occasion in one of the most important scenes in the movie. Dave Chappelle, Anthony Ramos (Hamilton) and Rafi Gavron (Breaking and Entering, Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist) all hold their own in minor roles.
Bradley Cooper’s Direction Shines
The movie feels like a concert. Live Nation being part of the production probably helped with how real the live music felt, like you were right on stage next to Jackson and Ally, and I left feeling like I would have paid more money to see it. You get to be right up in Gaga’s face as she brings the house down again and again and again, and you just lose yourself in each performance.
Cooper’s direction was definitely a success. It feels close and intimate, peeking into this intense love story that never feels over-the-top or played out. This is helped by the strong writing in this adaption, with the only trip-ups coming when they hit you in the face with real-life milestones for a young musician, SNL, iHeartMusic stages, the Grammy’s, etc. All the parts that are unique to the world they created are perfect, and my only wish for this movie is that they didn’t collide with these borderline-cliche moments.
Music For The Ages
The soundtrack is so damn good. I mean obviously Gags is going to be amazing, but Cooper’s songs rock so much that in the first scene I had to actively stop myself from moving like I was listening to the intro of “Rocky Mountain Way”. The original music is what will solidify this as one of the greatest musical movies of all time. I’m having a hard time thinking of a better non-Broadway adaption in the last 50 years.
Random Thoughts
Disclaimer: I have not seen Crazy Rich Asians yet, and I know there are some promising movies yet to come, so keep that in mind before reading the following sentence: A Star Is Born is my favorite movie of 2018 (so far).
Early talks of this newest adaption was that Ally would be played by Beyoncé. So let’s give it a year to settle into this adaption, and I vote we make it again with the Queen. Thanks.
Sam Elliot and Bradley Cooper are great in the scenes together, but it may be the lowest-pitch dialog in the history of film, and it almost made me laugh. If their voices got any lower or more grumbly it would’ve been inaudible. And I still would’ve cried.
The scene where Dice and his old-man driver friends try to explain how YouTube calculates views deserves its own Oscar.
Dice is great in this, and it took until 90 minutes in to realize it was him, but let’s remember he made a career off of misogyny and disrespecting women and it is hard to separate it from his performance.
THERE IS SUCH A CUTE DOG IN THIS MOVIE AND I MUST HAVE HIM.
Quick Hits:
How many times have I seen this movie?
First time!
Where was I watching it?
In theaters with Kellye. I missed most of the 4 pm football games for this movie and seeing my five fantasy football teams all comeback to win in those games, and it was worth it. I ate popcorn and drank diet root beer and I was THRIVING.
Did Kellye Watch it? If Yes, did she like it. If no, would she like it?
Yes! And she loved it, obvs. We did spend the rest of the night in opposite parts of the house screaming “Ra-Ra-RaRaRaaa” because once you get Gaga in your veins it is hard to get it out.
Favorite fact I learned from Wikipedia
Clint Eastwood was going to direct Beyoncé and I would need more details on how the hell that would’ve went.
Favorite part
Gaga and Ramos getting on the private jet.
Least favorite part
It’s not really my least favorite part, but the following tweet ruined a rather sweet moment in the film and makes me laugh so hard randomly throughout the day when I think of it. So here:
Would I recommend this movie and why?
Please watch this movie. Do not be that person who doesn’t see it because everyone likes it. Because that person will be missing out and is dumb.
So What Does Allan Give It?
Two Gold Thumbs Up! Overall, a score of 94. Get ready for so many feels.
