Shining Stars

Rating: 6/10 (6 October 2018)

Life has a funny way of making things happen. Such is the case with movies I was convinced I would never see. I was once convinced A Star is Born 2018 would be that instance. Firstly, I never saw the original 1930's classic and the two remakes that followed afterwards. Secondly, when the trailer surfaced, it reeked of Hollywood self-aggrandizement and schmaltz. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in a musical romantic romp. Look at how beautiful they are compared to us slobs! Cinema lovers are sick of this game. They want something new. So imagine my surprise that the reviews turned up well above the 90% fresh rating on RT. Some of the most trusted names in the business even hailed it as one of the year's best. Could it be that Hollywood has found a way to make tired formulas relevant and exciting again? After all, I am many things, but a betting man I am not. I like to admit when I'm wrong. Cooper and Co. brought me into the reclining seats last night. Kudos to him for that.
A Star is Born is, above all else, an aesthetically pleasing motion picture. It's shiny and beautiful without purposely doing so. It's sweet and sentimental without being condescending. It's sad, without becoming sappy. It was everything it needed to be to work, and It's a great thing that it does work. Bradley Cooper is a natural charm and practically loses himself as country music icon Jackson Maine. A fine study in method acting. I'm pleased to tell you that beyond looking like Cooper (at least after not shaving for a month), he's the farthest thing from a role we would expect to see him in. Jackson is a demon riddled, suffering alcoholic and we believe him. His muse, Ally, the Star of the picture is played by Lady Gaga herself. Or perhaps, we ought to refer to her in respect to her true person, Stafani Germanotta. A Star is truly Born as a pop superstar is taken apart from her wacky costumes, and returning to her roots as your average, beautiful Italian-American girl trying all she can to make it by and hopefully make it big. She is a dream come true and the precise reason to see this thing if you want to. To the unassuming eye, you couldn't tell that this is a role tailor made for Mama Monster. Does she properly fill the shoes of Streisand and Garland? You know, I think she does and I think she can be as big as the two of them put together.
But granted these two very positive things, I wasn't knocked out of my socks at any given point of the film. It's beyond anything remotely grueling about a superstar celebrity vehicle, but don't expect a life-changing experience that leaves you talking about it for days after. This is just a satisfying, if not unforgettable, musical journey.