Bitterly disappointing and doesn't live up to it's hype

Rating: 6/10 (18 May 2020)

A fairly good movie, but not great and the hype it received from its original release just doesn't match what I saw on the screen. I'm not a fan or familiar with Lady Gaga's work, because I find her too commercial and gimmicky for my personal taste in music. But I was surprised that she has such a good voice and vocal range and if it is true these were live performances and not recorded in a studio setting and them lip syncing then I was impressed. I was not impressed with Bradley Coopers guitar skills and singing voice. When you compare the previous incarnation of this same movies this one pales in comparison. Why make another movie when the original was so much better and has received 5 stars, this is mediocre at best. I don't see enough of a struggle or the downward spiral in Bradley Cooper's performance.
His addictions issues are glossed over and to me it felt like Bradley was holding back in his performance, he's a much better actor but wasn't committed to this performance as an entertainer on his way down and out or being a fall down drunk. I've watched this movie three times hoping I would see something different that I might have missed in my original viewing of this movie, but each time I got the same results. His character was to have spent too many years of concerts, managers, self-indulgent behavior, just very tired of being on the road for decades and life on the road was to have made him very cynical and the monotony was to have taken its toll on him vocally and physically. Jackson was supposed to resent his wife success and become very bitter and an embarrassment. I didn't see a character in self destruct mode.
I just didn't see him struggling with his alcoholism and drug abuse addictions issues, his character is supposed to be an alcoholic and eventually succumb to his addictions in the end. He just seems to be a self-indulgent and very narcissistic man. I have no sympathy for his character as I did in the Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand versions of the same film. Isn't the audience supposed to have empathy and compassion for the male lead? I did love Sam Elliott's performance and he was committed to his character and he was the sole reason I kept watching. Some of the songs and soundtrack were good but only two of the song stood out. Shallow and Always Remember Us This Way are the standouts.
I really wanted to like this movie, but I was greatly disappointed in it because of all the hype the media gave this movie, I was expecting to be blown away by their performances and I wasn't. Maybe for Bradley he was dealing with too many balls in the air. Producer, director, screenwriter, writing songs, singing, learning to play the guitar and lead actor, something fell between the cracks and sadly it was his performance and lack of commitment to his character. It's a promising start to a new directing career. Why was Bradley's face so red? It was a distraction to me and he sounded too much like Sam Elliott. Overall, I will give this movie a 6 out of 10.