Could have been so much better - too trite and clichéd

Rating: 6/10 (15 December 2018)

What's surprising about this second remake of "A Star Is Born" is not just the strength of Lady Gaga's performance, but the weakness of Bradley Cooper's.
Even if you haven't seen any of the previous versions of this story, you'd be familiar with it: an aging, has-been star locates a young up and comer and gives her their start, ushering them on-stage as they exit stage left.
This version makes the has-been not only aging but also drug-and-alcohol addled, which feels like an attempt to side step anything interesting about the other side of fame.
You don't need to mess up on drugs and booze to stop being famous. That's what's so cruel about it. Fame is fickle. You can lose the interest of your audience through no real fault of your own. So why was it necessary to make Cooper into a druggie and alcoholic? Did the filmmakers not want to depict what show business really is?
Cooper's character is a boring stiff. The movie only comes alive with Gaga. He speaks in a weird low groan which is maybe supposed to sound southern. The movie never, ever convinces you that he is a great artist. Gaga is so dynamic that you wonder why she had to be discovered by a loser like Cooper. It would have been much more believable if the reason why he was an alcoholic and addict was because he knew his music sucked and that he didn't deserve the fame. The movie expects you to take it for granted that he is a big star, but doesn't give you any reason to believe it.