Too many storylines

Rating: 7/10 (4 March 2019)

As predicted, the music was great. Bradley Cooper was fantastic as ever and his voice holds up well and makes him a believable music star. It was great to see Lady Gaga sing in a different style than we are used to and to see her act as a non-celebrity. Of course her singing is flawless and beautiful, but she's really not a strong enough actor to make Ally multi-dimensional or to bring enough depth to her character to illustrate a journey through the story. Cooper's character, though more detailed and interesting, suffered a similar lack of character arch. This was probably due to the inherent difficulties acting in and directing a film at the same time. The story also had two slightly conflicting points of view (his addiction and her rise to stardom) and neither was able to speak loudly enough to create a real sense of depth or sympathy to either character nor did it allow there to be a palpable sense of chemistry between the two. However the movie had it's terrific moments too, though mostly between Sam Elliot and Cooper. Both seasoned actors, possess the skills to create a backstory that carried all the way through to their current conflicts.