A great directorial debut for Bradley Cooper

Rating: 8/10 (8 November 2018)

Bradley Cooper does a fantastic job as a first time director - the scenes are beautifully shot and the way the atmosphere is built around them, largely through sound, is very strong. Lady Gaga similarly shines in her first role as lead actor. She, of course, showcases her fantastic singing voice but also portrays her relationship with Bradley Cooper's character incredibly well.
The music in the film is great throughout and, while this may come as no shock given that Lady Gaga is a seasoned musical professional, it is a pleasant surprise to see that Bradley Cooper, who reportedly took 18 months of vocal training prior to this role, really committed to the role and sang his songs himself. It must be said that he doesn't sound half bad either!
The film itself explores a lot of the big issues that those in stardom, especially the music industry, often suffer from. It's sad to see that these problems have persisted through the ages as one can easily draw comparisons with modern day artists. The original film was made just over 80 years ago yet the issues presented in this remake have stayed prevalent throughout the decades. Do not be fooled by the poster that this is just an uplifting, romantic film - there is a reason it has garnered an R rating.