In Bradley Cooper’s first Directorial debut he goes gaga over Gaga! A Star is Born, and so is a Director.
For whatever reason – and it’s been done four times before -Hollywood sees a necessity to remaking this timeless story of a woman with Hollywood dreams who falls for a celebrity on the downslide of addiction. First the movie was made in 1937, with Janet Gaynor and Fredric March. Then in 1954, with James Mason and Judy Garland, which was considered by some to be the greatest performance of her career. And finally, the most memorable, Barbra Streisand and the Kris Kristofferson version in 1976. That film was directed by legendary Frank Pierson who won the Oscar for Dog Day Afternoon, written by ‘Team Didion’ – John Gregory and Joan. Back then we were supposed to believe in Streisand – singer as actress – as she soars to the top and he plummets to the bottom. Somehow…we didn’t.
Enter 2018, and Bradley Cooper spreading his acting chops as Jackson Maine, a down and rugged rock star with a ruddy complexion, a guitar, and a real set of effective crooning-vocals. ‘Think’ the Eagles meet Skynyrd.
One post-concert evening and after drinking yet not enough in the back of his Escalade, Cooper happens upon a Drag Queen bar for a nightcap. He also happens upon Ally (Lady Gaga) dressed in Edith Piaf perfection and belting out ‘La Vie en Rose.’ With such a sentimental French favorite and Lady Gaga at the microphone, how can’t you immediately love her?
So Cooper does. He goes gaga for Gaga.
This remake has more in common with the 1976 version then the comparable sizes of Streisand and Gaga’s noses. Like Streisand and Kristofferson, we don’t feel the chemistry of Cooper and Gaga. We see them fall in love, but why? The movie starts out with a spark of how love-at-first-sight might work: when-you-know-you-just-know (it’s love), but, strangely the story is missing a large component– a middle bit to the script – glossed over in non-stop soundtrack.
As the two love, tour, and wed, her career skyrockets briskly, his falling deeper into alcoholism. Has he created a monster? Should she care for him, before first caring for herself? That’s the questions that brew as he spirals literally from the stage-edge.
Sam Elliott floats in and out of the film as Bobby, the brother caretaker, to Cooper’s character Jackson. And Andrew Dice Clay as Gaga’s father who owns a fleet of cars (he’s a driver) with dreams of once being the next Sinatra. He too, floats in and out of the film with little purpose until the very end.
Yet not-really-an-actress Gaga is strangely forgiven her flaws when she sings. She has more passion with her microphone than with her man. Could she have poured that into Cooper? Sure, the screaming fans, the blinding lights, the private jets, the backstage jitters provide backdrop as the fame shifts, but the drama that should surround its plot is genuinely missing.
In real life, there’s an incredible explosion when two artists – writers, singers, painters – find each other and fall deeper into their incubated worlds, their torturous gifts of creation at the helm, their twin-flame soulmates at their core. This isn’t felt between the singers…not even for a second. Instead any pocket-for-passion is camouflaged, again, by music.
As for Cooper, who gives a great Kristofferson man’s-man performance, he softens the crustiness of the former role. There’s those killer-blue eyes, too. But, Cooper is so busy keeping his vocals in sotto voce, that he’s in love with his character development more than his girl. Has he ever done a love story? Not really. A Bro-mance with The Hangover? Limitless? American Sniper? Maybe he’s come closest in The Words.
Cooper is more beautiful to look at than Gaga, but she’s chameleon-like – that hair, makeup, wardrobe – manages to command the screen with each costume change.
If you want a great new musical download, this is it. But, there is no Titanic’s Jack and Rose, there is no Love Story with McGraw and Ryan; there’s no McAdams and Gosling in the rain in The Notebook, and there’s certainly no The Way We Were classic with Redford and Streisand. Hell, even Beauty and the Beast had more chemistry!
In the end, Cooper can act, and wow, he can sing. Gaga can sing and wow, she can act. But can they act together? Does it matter? Lady Gaga’s real-life fan base will love her film ending as she belts out a Whitney Houston Bodyguard -esque number that shows the world that a star is truly born. 3 tiaras