Top Notch Acting All Around - Especially Lady Gaga

Rating: 8/10 (19 October 2018)

The acting could not be beat. I've seen all 4 versions now. The chemistry between Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper has all other versions beat and we are talking Janet Gaynor and Frederic March, Judy Garland and James Mason and Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. All of them are mighty big shoes to fill, but the difference is Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper had the intimacy that the others lacked. Plain and simple. They were so real. I really liked how they met in this version. OMG! I won't totally spoil it, but Lady Gaga sings La Vie En Rose just as well as Edith Piaf. I was blown away. When singing this song, both sing from the heart (that goes for Cyndi Lauper too). I hope to see Lady Gaga in more movies.
The only problem that I had was with the timeline and pace of the script. It appeared that she was with him on his touring for maybe three concerts and then all of a sudden, she meets an agent that wants to represent her and viola! She's all of a sudden a huge up and coming star. Of course, she has to change her image in order to do this, which is unfortunate because her soul was alive when she was singing with him and solo on tour. Yeah, this is the story, I realize that, but I don't recall such a major overhaul of the lead actress in the other versions. Basically, the character becomes what Lady Gaga is today. I like Gaga when she sings ballads, old standards (awesome with Tony Bennett), that is where her talent and souls lies. Her character in the movie did tell her agent (jerk) that she didn't want to do something that her talent would be lost. That line shows a lot of integrity, so I wonder if Gaga went through that same situation when she started. Bradley Cooper was excellent as a burnt out rocker who just doesn't know why he's doing it anymore. He reminds me of both Kristofferson and Jeff Bridges in "Crazy Heart". He's lost his way, but still connects with the audiences, but not without a little help from booze and drugs. How old is that story? The supporting cast, Sam Elliott, Andrew Dice Clay (big surprise), Anthony Ramos and Ron Rifkin round up a good supporting cast. I have to give a shout out to the ladies that were in the beginning of the movie. All of the ladies were beautiful and the actors playing them were so talented.
If I were and academy award voter, I really don't know who I would start to nominate this year in the best actress category, let alone vote for the winner of the Oscar. There is going to be some stiff competition this year. I may even watch the Oscars, which I haven't done for the last few years.