Wonderful Film - with a few Hollywood flaws....

Rating: 9/10 (21 October 2018)

First off, let me say I loved this film - actually thought Bradley Cooper was better -
and have been telling everyone I know to see it. This despite the fact that I saw it surrounded by people who were talking throughout it as though they were watching a tv show in their living rooms, cell phones going off, two men getting up to go the bathroom at key emotional points AND major soundbleed from the action picture next to us. That's a lot of crap to still have me say I loved this film!
I haven't seen everything that Bradley Cooper has done but I wonder if this might be his best film yet. HOWEVER....I have a few quibbles. One is almost ironic b/c I thought Cooper did such an excellent job of choosing which things to borrow from the Garland version. One thing however, that the latter did dare to show (in 1954 no less) was that the lead male character (James Mason/Norman Maine) was a drunk who quickly got abusive. At the key moment that he comes on stage as the Garland character receives her Oscar and tries to lovingly corral him, he smacks her in the face in front of the world. It's truly an electrifying moment. In contrast, Cooper's character never becomes physically abusive towards Ally no matter how out of it he is, and when he ruins her Grammy acceptance, he pisses on himself. This scene felt flat to me. I'm not arguing that he should have completely copied the 1954 version here - but it's not believable that his character would not have pent up rage that combined with his poly-addictions would combust - and combust around the person he loved most. It's too much Mr. Nice Guy to swallow. The most painful part of being in a relationship with an addict is that they force you to hate them. But that is a far more complex relationship and Hollywood is really not too into that.
The other quibble has to do w/ Gaga's physicality. We're supposed to believe that she's been told how ugly she is, in particular her nose. I found this about as believable as her saying she's been told she's too old or fat. Also,I found it quite a stretch to think that this kitchen worker with an occasional gig singing in a drag bar, would have flawless skin, a killer toned bod with a six-pack and perfect dance video moves, at the ready. Yeah, sure, uh-huh, if you say so.... I think maybe we could have seen her working out at least to show some progression to the model look she has at the end, or getting skin treatments, whatever!
Despite this, I still loved the movie!