Wow!

Rating: 9/10 (28 October 2018)

Before I begin, I need to admit I expected to dislike this film. As the 4th version, I expected some misconstrued attempt to make an old story new again.
I was wrong.
First, the actors are excellent. Bradley Cooper handles his scenes with significant competence and artistry. Lady Gaga's performance is pure genius.
We have seen Lady Gaga in costume, looking glamorous when she performs a concert. We saw her bring a vampire to life in American Horror Story, looking glamorous.
In "A Star is Born," we are introduced to her without the glamour, and she shared her authentic and incredible beauty with the world. She performs the role of Ally with such honesty that your heart literally aches for her to find happiness.
We are fortunate to have many stellar performances in film each year. Lady Gaga's Ally is beyond that.
In the 1930's Greta Garbo was cast in Camille. The 1940's gave us Mildred Pierce. The 1950's started off with Bette Davis as Margot Channing in All about Eve. Elizabeth Taylor's Martha from the 1960's is unforgettable.
Joining those ranks is Lady Gaga. With subtle brilliance, she conveys emotional pain with the slightest change in her facial expression. With a single tear she conveys the tragedy of being hurt by someone you love dearly.
Cooper's Jackson Main starts with the promise of being a knight in shining armor, and you soon learn he could have been, had he not been plagued with addiction. As he succumbs to his addiction, his career takes a nose dive as Ally flourishes.
The jealousy Jackson experiences may sound petty, but it's really too common. Fueled by alcohol consumption his actions become more cruel.
The characters are so well crafted in this film, viewers yearn for a happy ending that will never come.
The use of close ups to tell this story is very well done. In the biggest crowd, Jackson and Ally are each other's world.
Days after seeing the film, I still think of ways to find a happy ending. Could we get Jackson help? Could we find a way to get Ally to stay home that night?
That's something that differentiates a good film from a great film. Great films stay with us after the credits roll.
This is the best film I've seen years.