With amazing talent and good looks, musician Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) seems to have it all. He makes dreams seem attainable to even Ally (Lady Gaga), a struggling artist who’s too afraid to sing her own songs. After seeing her perform in a bar one night, Jackson won’t rest until her voice is known. Unsurprisingly, as Ally learns to embrace her talent, she and Jackson also end up falling in love. However, things aren’t all perfect, as Jackson’s guidance in Ally’s career doesn’t hide the fact that he’s struggling with maintaining a handle on his own life. As these problems start to surface more and more, Ally battles between focusing on her up-and-coming career and the man she’s in love with.
I went in to see this movie thinking it would be a typical Hollywood ending of overcoming insecurities and finding love. Instead, I left the movie theater basically in tears. This movie deals with so much more than just the happy ending it seems to be. It takes a more realistic look at the side of fame and relationships that people don’t get to see under the lights. Right from the start, Ally isn’t the picture perfect idea of what singers are expected to be – she has flaws, insecurities, and a not-so-perfect home life. Even after she’s been recognized by the music world as talented, she still faces the criticism of how she looks and performs. As for Jackson, we can also see from the beginning that his life isn’t perfect when he immediately takes out a bottle of liquor after performing. Seeing this side of the hollywood image was refreshing, but unsettling at the same time. There were certain points where I wanted to scream at the characters for not realizing what was happening. I was constantly sitting back in my seat swooning over their love story and then right up on the edge again as something went wrong. In fact, it was like that up until the end of the movie.
If you are someone considering going to see this movie, I would say, first, go see it. The relationship between Gaga and Cooper’s characters is so real and powerful it’ll convince you that love might actually be real. But second, keep in mind that this isn’t a light hearted movie. There’s more under the surface that the movie trailer barely hints at. If that’s the kind of mood you’re in, get your tissues and popcorn ready because this movie is an amazing, crazy roller coaster of emotion.