A Modernized Musical

Rating: 8/10 (27 November 2018)

Bradley Cooper's directorial debut is a stunning achievement navigating the tricky genre of musical movies which is so often butchered. To see the acclaimed actor break from form by directing, writing, and singing in this picture, and to see it done so well, is a tremendous feat. Lady Gaga as well proves her range as both a vocalist and now as an actress, again railing against expectations. If we can expect more of this quality from the pair in the future, that should garner much excitement.
This is not the first time that the story of an aspiring performer pairing up with an industry star has been delivered to the silver screen, in fact, it is the third remake of the spectacular 1937 winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture. Cooper's reimagining of the story as a modern tale of an alcoholic musician and his talented protégé is a faithful retelling that builds upon those that came before it. Little in this movie stands out as necessarily "bad," but the soundtrack outshines everything with incredible strength in everything from the writing to the mixing to the delivery. Every song is effectively integrated into the story and themes of the film on whole. There were, however, some confusing editing choices that come off as if they were not entirely intentional or drag out particular scenes (a certain one about a ring comes to mind), but the movie completely enamors its audience with the performances, helping to distract from overbearing dramatics hammering foreshadowing far enough into your skull to cause brain damage. In addition, the realistic appearance of the sets and costumes helps the viewer believe that everything on screen could really happen, appearing genuine at all times and only having these "on-the-nose" moments with the symbolism briefly. The largest complaint I have is that the film often rushes or glosses over certain moments in order to fit a theatrical run-time, though it still manages to deliver on its intentions. Overall, the end result is a moving experience that manages to blend movie and musical seamlessly.
A Star is Born Letter Grade: B+