A Bad Romance

Rating: 4/10 (4 February 2019)

A Star is Born sweeps us off our feet in a manner so rapturous that it requires a purposeful look back at the tale to realize its trick and its truths. After a second viewing, much reading and some deep reflection, the answer to why this picture unsettled me so turned out to be quite simple.
Jack's addicted to alcohol. Ally's addicted to Jack. The film tells the story of their sick, codependent and tragic yearning for authenticity and/or validation.
A Star Is Born itself is a kind of drug-a hostage taker. Its doting audience, the addict-its hostage. The movie seduces with its alluring leads, killer tunes, outstanding production values and then robs the viewer blind creating an inherent yearning for the better times. Ally sings, "I'll always remember us this way". I wish I didn't want to but its hooks were in me.
The filmmakers create an urgent and euphoric whirlwind-an emotional rollercoaster-that thrusts us into Jack and Ally's world so fast and so hard that the film's magical ability to disguise obsession as romance becomes unrecognizable. This is the film's trick-making a hostage situation look like true love.
"So, are you telling me that A Star Is Born isn't simply a romantic drama?" Yah, friends, keep up. "So then what is it about?" Great question. I've been wondering that myself. In Ally's first on-stage experience with Jack, she endearingly covers her face in awe of what she's been coerced into. Maybe the movie is about facing fears. Later, Jack insists that Ally "dig into (her) soul (or else she) won't have legs." Maybe it's about staying true to oneself. The story doesn't sit in these (and other) profound moments long enough to allude to these as possible takeaways. Instead, it merely acts as a window into Jack and Ally's toxic relationship with nothing to say about it.
So, why did A Star Is Born disturb me so? Because it is about nothing and teaches nothing. It has no opinion on abusive/co-dependent relationships and represents addiction treatment carelessly.
Don't get me wrong, this movie deserves all it's Academy nominations except for one-the most critical one. Like The Wolf of Wall Street before it, which glorifies wealth, drugs and their resulting debauchery without criticism, A Star Is Born has no right being honored in the Best Picture category. Dear Academy, what is it that I'm missing? I'd sincerely like to know; Why did you do that?

*Perhaps I'll change my tune down the line if it becomes a catalyst for would be Al Anons and their addict partners to get proper treatment. Without an explicit roadmap for viewers, however, I don't see that happening.