Powerfully-acted and moves you to the core

Rating: 9/10 (14 October 2018)

It is hard to believe that this is Cooper's directorial debut, especially with the way he directed himself in such an empathetic character as rock star Jackson Maine. Even though Jack's addiction is affecting everyone around him, you could not resist but still care for his character. On the other hand, a movie star is literally born with Lady Gaga as Ally. Although her character was relatively underwritten compared to Jack, Gaga does the most of the character's rawness and authenticity. Gaga transcends the most in her musical numbers, specifically in "I'll Never Love Again."
Cooper and Gaga's chemistry in this film is the most genuine I've seen in a romantic movie in a while. Their relationship felt so intimate and deep that I felt like I was intruding in their personal space. The supporting cast shines as well, with comedians Dave Chapelle and Andrew Dice Clay providing an effective dramatic turn, and Sam Elliott's poignant performance proving to be so impactful given the limited screen time he got.
Cinematographer Matthew Libatique used a striking, saturated colors in a variety of shots, and his unique choice of filming the dialogues and musical scenes close to the actors situated the viewers in that same spot where the actor is. The music narrates the story of the characters well, and the songs hark back to 1990s Hollywood when ballads elevated the film. The songs in "A Star Is Born" are ready to be considered as classics.
The pacing and writing issues sometimes made the film feel both too long and too rushed. That said, this is a screenplay that almost avoids every cliché in this story. Even if this is a story that was told a number of times, Cooper managed to give a fresh and effective take on it.