A Star is Born is a film based on love, acceptance, alcohol and drug addiction, and fame.

Rating: 8/10 (4 August 2019)

The two major stars in this film are Bradley Cooper as Jackson Maine and Lady Gaga as Ally, all while Cooper also directs the film. The film finds Jackson Maine, an alcohol and drug addicted, seasoned and famous singer, songwriter, and musician in the bar where Ally performs for a small audience. Jackson falls almost instantly in love with Ally and her talent as a singer, songwriter, and musician such as himself. Their connection is tangible throughout the film as they write, perform, and she rises to fame by his side.
There are two major themes that need stated for this film as each character struggles in their different way. The first lies with Jackson and his inability to remain sober. He fights his sobriety throughout the film in what seems like a losing battle. Ally, on the other hand, is fighting a winning battle against her rise to fame and stardom. Will the two be able to remain in love and happy while they both fight their personal battles?
Cooper does a fantastic job of displaying his character on the issues of drug and alcohol addiction. The movie, Flight, with Denzel Washington comes to mind as booth characters struggled with loving someone while being addicted to a substance.
There is one scene in the film, A Star is Born, that uses slow motion to give the audience an emotional connection to the love the Ally and Jack shared. The first scene is in the beginning of the film when Ally is discussing the fact that her looks have kept her from being in the music industry, especially her nose. Jack explains that he loves her nose and asks to touch it, in a slow motion close up, Jack runs his finger down her nose and ends up telling her that he loves her nose. This becomes one of the ways they say "I love you" for the rest of the film. The directing and editing of this portion of the film do a perfect job of tying the audience into their love story and how Jackson loves her for who she is.
The film also uses a beautiful soundtrack to guide the audience through the love story of Ally and Jackson. From the songs that they right together to the songs that they write for each other, the soundtrack helps tell the story of who they are together and transitions the audience through the entire film.
To tie these two themes together, both Ally and Jackson are struggling through their own personal battles. Will love conquer all?