I’m just going to put this out there: if you haven’t seen A Star is Born, you’re doing it wrong. The movie, which hit theaters early October, follows country-rock singer Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) in his musical career alongside the love affair with up-and-coming musician Ally Campana (Lady Gaga). After seeing the movie twice and listening to the song “Shallow” 72 times, I think I am in the right to tell you that you must see this movie. Here are five reasons why you should already be in an Uber on the way to the theater.
1. The cast.
The casting for this movie was just perfect. First of all, not only does Bradley Cooper sing, play the guitar and act, but he also directed the film. Lady Gaga was obviously a showstopper – from her breathtaking singing to her newfound acting talent, she perfectly fit the role, as well as the storyline. While both Cooper and Gaga fit into the film, it was the cherry on top for a Broadway fan like myself to see Anthony Ramos (John Laurens/Phillip Hamilton in the original Broadway production in Hamilton) on the big screen. This star-studded cast is already reason enough to see the movie.
2. The music.
The soundtrack to A Star is Born is incredible and unique to the movie. Since seeing the film for the first time, I genuinely don’t think that I’ve listened to any other music. The music itself takes you through the entire emotional rollercoaster of the movie, while you still belt at the top of your lungs, trying to convince yourself that you are more talented than Lady Gaga (hint: you’re not).
3. The emotional rollercoaster.
Dealing with heavy and emotional subject matters, A Star is Born makes you feel all kinds of ways. By putting together passionate love, a rise to fame and aggressive substance abuse, you will leave the theater both in tears and questioning everything that you just saw. And trust me, it is no easier the second time – I still left the theater sobbing.
4. The dog.
Even if you are not a dog person, you will fall in love with the dog, Charlie, in this movie. It is impossible to see this dog’s face and not want to get your own pet. Not only does this dog look perfect as Jackson Maine’s on screen, but he is Bradley Cooper’s own dog.
5. There are so many hidden tidbits that make it so much better than it already was.
After doing intense research, I’ve discovered so many things that made me fall in love with the movie even more than I already was before. Spoilers ahead, so don’t read this part until after seeing the movie but know, you’ll start crying again after finding out most of these facts. First of all, this version of A Star is Born is the fourth version of the movie. The original 1937 take of the film starred Janet Gaynor and Fredric March, with later versions featuring Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland. Similar to how Jack and Ally met, one of the first times that Cooper and Gaga met was when she was singing “La Vie en Rose” at a cancer benefit, and he cast her immediately. The big concert scenes with Jack and Ally were filmed at music festivals, such as Coachella Music Festival and Glastonbury, and the sound equipment turned off so that they could perform the songs without the plot being spoiled and the music being leaked. Only the first few rows could hear the music being played. Finally, and most devastatingly, the final scene in which Lady Gaga performs “I’ll Never Love Again” was filmed moments after Gaga returned to set after saying her final goodby to her best friend, Sonja Durham, who had been battling stage four breast, brain and lung cancer. Crying again? Same.
If these reasons aren’t enough to convince you to see this spectacular movie, I’m not sure what will. I will leave you with one piece of advice: bring a box of tissues.
Sources:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/noradominick/a-star-is-born-behind-the-scenes-facts