!SPOILER ALERT!
When I saw that Pitt Program Council was offering an advanced screening of A Star is Born, I practically screamed. Having already watched the trailer seven times, I knew my life depended on seeing this movie. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga?! What could be better than that?! As seen in the trailer, the movie consists of a love story between a country singer with more than a few inner demons named Jack (Cooper) and a song writer in denial named Ally (Gaga). However, what the movie trailer portrays does not tell the whole truth on what it’s about.
I’m gonna throw it right out there and say that this movie should have a trigger warning. If you have a past involving suicide or addiction, definitely be prepared to see those topics shown in the movie. The film shines a very real light on the consequences of alcoholism and pill addiction without holding back, which easily provokes intense sympathy (and several thousand tears) in the viewer. It was also the most tragic love story I have ever seen, and I’ve seen Call Me by Your Name and Remember Me six times each. Toward the end of the movie, there was a quieter scene and if you listened all you could hear was people in the audience sniffing because they were crying so much. What gives this movie the description of tragic love story is the ending when Jack takes his own life because he thinks he is holding Ally back in her career. Jack’s fate is not hinted at in the trailer or even in most parts of the movie, which packs an even more intense punch when you watch the entire film.
That being said, I thought the movie was phenomenal. It really was an emotional rollercoaster: from the humorous parts between Jack and Ally, to the more intense parts between Jack and his brother, to the somber parts between Jack and himself, it was emotionally tolling. The movie had an earth-shattering sense of realness that most other movies seem to lack. There were scenes, such as the first time Ally went on stage to sing with Jack and when Ally is sitting with Jack at the rehab facility, that made the film feel as if it were a documentary. It blows my mind how the actors were able to seamlessly convince the viewer that they aren’t actually actors, and that they really are the people in the film. As the viewer, I felt like I was infringing on Jack and Ally’s privacy just by watching. It was refreshing to see a film where the love interests had so much chemistry as actors. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga really seemed to have a deep connection with each other, and it definitely was visible on screen.
The cast of the movie was perfect as well. I knew that Bradley Cooper would act well and Lady Gaga would sing well, but it really surprised me when I saw how great they both were when they swapped talents. I personally had no clue that Bradley Cooper could sing like that, and I hope he sings more in the future. I hope Lady Gaga continues acting as well, especially in movies where her character doesn’t sing. I want to see how good she is at just acting as different characters. It was a treat to see familiar faces like Dave Chappelle, Sam Elliot, Alec Baldwin, and of course Willam Belli. This film was also the first film Bradley Cooper directed, which was impressive. Who doesn’t love a directorial debut where the director is casted in the movie? It really shows his dedication to the film and how immersed he becomes in what he is passionate about.
The film is already the focus of Oscar buzz, and I honestly hope it gets one. It made me an emotional wreck, but it was worth it. A Star is Born gets 9.5/10 stars from me.
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