User Reviews

I did not want to watch this movie but took my wife to see it, because we both saw the one with Kris Kristofferson and Barbra Streisand, growing up. The crowd was a lot older than we were(we are almost 50) it was the biggest screen they had at our theater and seats a lot but it was maybe half full on Sunday afternoon. Not one dry eye in the place, it had a great tempo and didn't drag on or have any lulls in the story. We were both very pleased and are still engaging in conversations about the movie. It's my opinion to highly recommend to everyone go out and watch a great movie and a heartfelt movie that redefines love in this time and age we live in. That is my two cents, hope you enjoy as much as we have.

A magnificent movie, captivating performances by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. The ultimate shock was how brilliant Lady Gaga was, we knew she could sing, but didn't have any idea just how far her acting talent stretches! After watching that I can tell you it stretches far enough to earn her some Oscar gold. The movie is outstanding, the music is annoyingly perfect, the cast is great and everything shouts Oscar worthy movie. Ten out of ten!

Bradley cooper and Lady Gaga collaboration on this remake of the classic A Star Is Born results in an outstanding movie and soundtrack that keeps you looking ofr more until the very end of the movie.

The cinematography acting and writing is absolute perfection. Its the best movie of 2018

This movie really touched my heart, it really is the best movie of the year and everyone should see this masterpiece. I was impressed by Gaga's acting skills, she deserves an Oscar! And her voice.... Omg she is so perfect, the song I Will Never Love Again is so majestic

Poised to be an instant classic, almost everything about this film is phenomenal - the acting, the cinematography, the discography, etc.

It will be nominated for several Oscars and win "best original song" for sure. Whether you love Gaga as a singer or not, let's just appreciate and enjoy this amazing work by a new actress, LadyGaga. Sam and Bradley are also brilliant in their character. A Star Is Born is not the typical genre of movie like Moonlight/Spotlight/Blackkklansman that will probably snatch Oscars for best picture, but I can promise it will still do well in the award seasons. To sum up, it will gain both commercial and critical success. Just enjoy it as a romantic/musical film!

A movie that will take you to another world full of emotions. Lady Gaga is an amazing actress with impressive acting skills! The songs are pure art and her voice will give you chills, you'll just find yourself in tears! I don't need to talk about the legendary Bradley Cooper!! This is literally the best movie of 2018 And one of the best Musical/Romance movies ever!

If you're even a casual moviegoer, chances are you have already heard the argument; that originality is dead in Hollywood. We live in an era where even Ghostbusters is no longer sacred. Where you wouldn't be surprised if one of the large studios announced a remake of the Godfather or Citizen Kane. Those remakes might capture some audience members, but those films almost certainly don't capture the audience's hearts. They certainly don't capture the praise critics. They certainly don't take home any major awards.

That all changes with A Star is Born.

Change, however, is a key word when it comes to remakes. (Or remakes of remakes of remakes...) In order to make the venture worthwhile, the film makers not only have to stay close to the ideas of original film, but they have to have a reason to retell the story. It's a delicate balance. Every version of a Star is Born follows a broken celebrity, in the Winter of his career, damaged by years of drinking who is suddenly reborn when meeting a young ingénue. The two fall in love, but while their relationship develops, their entertainment careers go in different directions.

Director and Co-Star Bradley Cooper's film seemingly borrows more from the Streisand/Kristofferson iteration of A Star is Born (the last time this story was retold), as the dynamic between the two lovers hinges on the music industry. When Streisand and Kristofferson remade the film, (for the fourth time at that point) in 1976, they broke one of the aforementioned expectations, as they both took home Golden Globes for their performances. Perhaps Cooper was more inspired by performance, rather than aesthetic, as the acting is one aspect out of many that shines in Cooper's version. The characters of Jackson Maine (Cooper) and Ally (Lady Gaga) drive the entire story in what is essentially a film with only half a dozen notable characters. Cooper and Lady Gaga have amazing chemistry, and from the moment you see the two on screen together for the first time you feel the connection.

First time director, Cooper, deftly creates intimacy between Jackson and Ally, without which the story would certainly not be as successful. In stadiums housing thousands of fans, in small dressing rooms packed with screaming Drag Queens, in a loud dive bar, in the parking lot of an all-night-grocer, Cooper uses tight framing and sound impeccably to make it seem like they're the only two people in the world. You understand his charm, you see her vulnerability, and the two actors give side-by-side stellar performances.

That isn't to take away anything from a small, but powerful supporting cast. There were some brilliant and surprising moments from Dave Chappelle as Noodles, an old friend of Jackson's who reiterates how much Ally has revitalized Jackson. The largest surprise came from Andrew Dice Clay as Lorenzo, Ally's father. Both Clay and Chappelle brought great moments of love and humanity in their criminally small interactions with the two main characters. Sam Elliot also surprised me in his role as Bobby, Jackson's (much) older brother. They explain the age discrepancy, but the rest is self-explanatory as he and Cooper truly are brothers on screen, with all the frustration, fights and familiarity that goes with that relationship. Elliot in his similarly small time on screen, often showed the softer side of his craft, hiding touching instants of sadness when it comes to his difficult relationship with his brother, concealed only slightly by his iconic mustache.

It begs the question, does Cooper deserve all the praise as director, or does the cast? What I can glean from the film is Cooper definitely had his cast on the same page, as regardless of screen time, these actors made you care about their characters. The audience is invested. There are countless pivotal story beats where these characters may do something frustrating or angering. Instead of merely recognizing that these are hurdles to push the story further, I found myself almost vocally upset, akin to yelling at a character in a horror film to not go in the room where the killer is hiding. This film makes you want the protagonists to succeed, even when dealing with topical subplots regarding celebrity, regret, depression and substance abuse.

And that's because you're along for the ride the entire time. You're a part of this love story. The film sucks you in from the beginning with the roar of a raucous concert audience, the hard beat of the drums on Jackson's stage, and his hypnotic swagger as he plays for thousands. If you were one of the millions of people who have seen the trailer for this film, I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about (kudos to the promotional department of this film, as that, is an extremely engaging and powerful trailer) but it stems from an extremely engaging and powerful film. The music, much like it did with the trailer gets inside you, not just inside your head where you find yourself humming a gentle country lilt sang by Cooper, it gets inside your heart and soul and rattles around. It repeats over and over until you're the one who doesn't want to let go. While Cooper should be commended for taking his craft seriously and improving his singing, this is where Lady Gaga shines, to no one's surprise.

Ally is a perfect role for her. The performer has spoken about how vulnerable and ugly she felt in some scenes when shooting this film, but it made her so real on screen. Ally's career, much like the first half of the film, blasts off, and all you can do is hold on until you realize the songstress is belting a powerful ballad. You wonder, much like her character "how did we get here" but at that point, you're just happy to be along for the ride. It is a testament to Lady Gaga's ability, because being such an iconic figure, if it weren't for her conveyance of sincerity and humility, the character's journey would seem forced and unfulfilling. Because of Gaga's performance, however, you relish the moment Ally can finally embrace who she is and bravely belt out her songs with no inhibition. In a film with so many moments that grab you, the music is undeniably one of my favorite aspects. I can't wait for this film to get a wider release so the studio can also make the soundtrack available.

If and when Award season comes, and A Star is Born is undeniably a forerunner for several major awards, I think Cooper should be commended simply because as director, he brought everything together. The songwriters, the actors, the cinematography, the sound design was superbly balanced to create the best possible version of this story making it, the brightest star for both critics and audiences.

Being a film buff I never watched the older takes of "A Star is Born" however I watched this latest modern spin with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga(who have great on screen chemistry together). The film is a joy as it touches your emotions and grows on you from the love of the two central characters and the pain combined with fame and sorrow make this musical drama(the songs are uplifting)a wonderful watch.

Jackson Maine(Bradley Cooper) is a hard living and hard whiskey drinking western rock singer who lives it up entertaining crowd after crowd. Jackson is a man who's got plenty of personal demons besides the bottle as his family friction with only brother Bobby(the great Sam Elliott) weighs on his heart heavy. Things change when Ally(Lady Gaga) captures his heart along the way the two get to know each other in an intimate way as passion becomes love.

Still the love is not without struggle and heartache as Ally becomes famous and well known while Jackson's music and personal life both take a downward path with alcoholism as he just can't escape his own dark shadows. It's like you as the viewer could see the tragedy coming all along.

Overall entertaining film with fine and beautiful music and the on screen chemistry between Bradley and Gaga is in top notch form, as clearly this is one love drama to see that showcases the rise of fame and stardom, also while showing a grim personal downfall.

Wow what I can say.... The best movie I have seen in years. Perfectly exceuted by the wonderful Bradley Cooper, he has really thought about the subject, the way he captures the star quality, emotions and most of all the importance of mental health is just incredible... Hard to believe that this is the first movie he has directed, very talented man. Bradley and Lady Gaga display the most amazing chemistry, I can't express how perfect they were in the movie. Their voices made me cry throughout the movie, so much soul and passion, together make a phenomenal sound. I will definitely be seeing this movie over and over again and no doubt this will win an Oscar, hopefully with many awards to come too.

The film opens with Bradley Cooper's character, veteran Jackson Maine, walking onto stage, the camera close up behind as if we are following him. He is clearly distressed, his dark personal life looming over his career as a performer. It is here we are introduced to the first of many amazing songs in this film, Bradley Cooper easily holds his own in songs with Lady Gaga, and you would have no idea this is her first major acting role, her performance as she rises through the ranks of stardom is fantastic. The chemistry between the two feels raw and real, the acting, music and cinematography is superb. The final result of this tried and true formula is one of the most emotional, engaging and thought-provoking films of the past few years, this along with a perfect original soundtrack means you won't be forgetting about this one any time soon.

It's a story as old as time, and that's evident in the fact that Bradley Cooper's A Star Is Born is the fourth (yes, FOURTH) remake of the movie classic. However, with clearly passionate directing and acting throughout, furthered by wonderful music and an efficient portrayal of the classic rags-to-riches story, this proves a thoroughly entertaining and memorable watch that absolutely flies by over the course of nearly two and a half hours.

But before we get into all that, I have to start with the film's opening half hour, which is exceptional. Despite its long running time, there's so much packed into the opening act, and it's delivered with jaw-dropping passion and energy, to the point where I felt absolutely exhilarated by the film within such a short period of time.

The passion with which Bradley Cooper is directing the movie is clear from the opening scene, and as we see our superstar musician form an unlikely and unexpected bond with a young local singer, the film begins to tell that age-old story about finding fame in beautiful and riveting fashion.

In fact, in the knowledge that it's a story that you know like the back of your hand, Cooper ingeniously ramps the dial up to eleven as we watch our young up-and-coming star caught up in an exhilarating whirlwind as she is suddenly transported from a small waitressing job to singing in front of thousands, culminating in a stunningly moving musical sequence that feels like a true epiphany, as you watch this young woman overwhelmed as she gets her first taste of stardom, something that I was absolutely blown away by.

That opening half hour is truly exceptional. Full of emotion, drama and moving at a pace that mirrors the dramatic transformation from ordinary singer to superstar, it's exhilarating to watch at every moment, and easily the best opening act I've seen from a film this year, setting up the rest of the film fantastically.

Rather unfortunately, however, things don't quite pan out in the same stunning fashion through the rest of the movie. While the remained of A Star Is Born is still good, I was left feeling a little disappointed that it couldn't keep up that same exhilarating energy and emotion from the first act, as things quieten down and become a little more predictable.

Of course, there's nobody who doesn't know this story, so being predictable isn't as much of a problem, but what I found frustrating about the film was how it failed to keep delving deeper into the lives of the lead characters as their careers start flying in completely opposing directions.

As a director, Cooper did an incredible job with the opening half hour, and his passion for the subject matter remains strong throughout, but the problem comes in the way that he portrays the main points of this age-old story in a rather plain fashion, moving a little too readily onto each new stage in the two singers' careers without leaving enough time for things to settle.

In that, the film has a good pace to it that makes it a thoroughly entertaining watch right to the end, but with the exception of the opening act and the finale, there just isn't enough depth to the individuals here, leaving me a little detached from their emotions throughout the middle portion, and having to rely on my knowledge of the classic rags-to-riches story to understand more about what they were feeling.

So, a little bit more clarity and patience would have gone a long way here, and I would have been genuinely happy to watch another half hour or so of the film.

While the second two-thirds of the movie aren't so profoundly moving, that doesn't mean there's nothing to praise, because along with Cooper's passionate directing, we see two fantastic performances from the director himself as well as Lady Gaga.

Starting off with Bradley Cooper, his portrayal of an aging and fading star is thoroughly fascinating to watch. While he doesn't appear as the story's main focus, the quality of his performance is such that I was at times even more invested in his character than the rise of the starlet, as he pulls off the maturity and likability of his battle-hardened character while still putting in a powerful portrayal of his deeper weaknesses, something that makes him both delightfully appealing and still deeply interesting to follow throughout.

Alongside Cooper is Gaga, who is a real revelation here. Given that she's never been in a role of this magnitude before, her acting ability is truly stunning, and she gives a performance that's just as profound and striking as any experienced A-list actress. Taking from her own experience of life in the music business and her rise to stardom in real life, the passion that she feels for her character is clear in every scene, with that previously mentioned epiphany-inducing musical number 'Shallow' featuring the best example of her incredible acting.

She holds fantastic chemistry with Cooper, and the two make their characters' relationship both convincing and genuinely appealing, even through the inevitable ups and downs of the story, keeping your interest strong as the film moves through the story towards the finish.

In the end, I was very impressed with A Star Is Born. It's unfortunately not pitch-perfect all the way through, but after a mind-blowing opening act, and featuring passionate and likable directing and performances throughout, it proves a massively entertaining watch regardless, with some excellent music to boot.

Hope this is not the last time we see Bradley direct and Gaga act.

A great movie!! Gaga was so incredible and Bradley was a great director

I didn't expect this movie to be THAT HUGE. The movie is full of emotions and deep moments that I've found myself in tears. The songs are amazing, the act is amazing and I can say that this is movie of the year

Sizzling chemistry between Jackson and Ally makes for a perfect watch! The cinematography is splendid. Lady Gaga truly might be the greatest musician of this generation. Almost all of the music is written and produced by her along with talented producers and songwriters like Diane Warren, Julia Michaels, Mark Ronson, Mark Nilan, Paul Blair and the likes of it. Rupaul's drag race alumnus Shangela and Willam are a perfect add to this melodrama. Sam Elliott is phenomenal, Dave Chapelle and Andrew Dice Clay give great performances.

Bradley Cooper proves himself as a strong director, and Lady Gaga is a revelation. Its like a whole new side of her. I highly recommend this movie.

Wow, amazing film. Powerful, superb acting. Gaga is so very gifted and I've never heard anyone match Whitney until now the last song could be her. A masterpiece and should win every award going.

This movie is perfect, it made me cry from the beginning to the end, it deserves several Oscar's nominations. Lady Gaga is a true astist.

Bradley Cooper's directorial debut, "A Star Is Born," is a very satisfying and well-made remake of the classic story. While it does have some flaws, the film is generally powerful and thoughtful. In the film, Cooper stars as a troubled country/rock musician who falls in love with a pop star (Lady Gaga.) Viewers will likely be thrilled by the considerable musical talent on display here, as the songs are incredibly well performed. The acting in the film is very strong, with Bradley Cooper giving a wholly convincing performance as such an ambiguous and flawed protagonist. I didn't expect Lady Gaga to be completely convincing in her role, but she did a great job with both acting as well as singing (she has several moments in the spotlight during the film's concert or other music-based moments.) Sam Elliott headlines the film's supporting cast, and he also does not disappoint either. Look for these positive qualities to absolutely be recognized during awards season this winter.

While the film's music and acting are superb, some notable lapses are present over the course of the movie's 135-minute running time. The first concern with the film that I have is that it does run a bit too long, and could have easily trimmed 20 or 25 minutes off its running time without sacrificing anything of importance. The film does, from time to time, take the unfortunate route of indulging in some cheesy clichés of romantic dramas. This isn't surprising, but it's a bit unfortunate for a film that otherwise feels fairly structurally unique despite being a remake of a film that has been made multiple times before. But at the end of the day, viewers who see this film are here for strong performances and a great soundtrack. On those merits, they will certainly be rewarded, and I do recommend this film for sure. 7.5/10

Let me start by saying that the performances are solid. Not mind blowing but solid. For her first film, Lady Gaga did very well but I can't say she blew my mind...but hey it's her first film and I like her, so good for her. That being said, the film seems to be getting WAY overblown by people. The first act is really great and the chemistry between Gaga and Cooper is phenomenal but after that it sort of devolves into a melodrama. The character development of Cooper's character is lacking. He is an alcoholic and we certainly see him drunk many times but I didn't see enough struggle to justify his character arc not was Cooper's performance powerful enough to convey the devastating agony of addiction. The film then goes through a few cliches as we see Gaga's character ascend to fame but again, we also don't see enough struggle from her character either. In all, the character conflicts are addressed but the film never fully dives into them in the way it certainly could have. I loved the first song of the film but the rest of the music was surprisingly bland and didn't captivate me at all. Lady Gaga obviously has an incredible voice and Cooper held his own surprisingly. Overall it was a good film, not great, just good.

Went to see this with high expectations. I like Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga is an outstanding singer and I liked the 1976 version. Unfortunately this is not a good film. It is far too long, the narrative lacks depth and interest, dramatic scenes are dragged out and it is very boring throughout. Many reviews say there wasn't a dry eye in the house but I felt no emotional connection with either of the protagonists and didn't care what happened to them.

Bradley Cooper gives a fair performance and Lady Gaga can sing but any talk of an oscar winning performance from her defies logic and is an insult to experienced actors.

Sometimes weighty expectations can crush a movie before it has any chance to pop. With "A Star is Born," a moving trailer and excited murmurs from film festivals, created seemingly unreachable levels of hype. Then, somehow, it reached them.

In Bradley Cooper's directorial debut, he manages to instill life and a reasonable degree of freshness into a movie that had already been made three times previously. He clearly has a knack for capturing intimacy, and he uses that skill to make a movie that it deeply personal to himself, to co-star Lady Gaga, and to the characters they portray.

It's a remarkable achievement that this movie works. Cooper certainly deserves heaps of credit for his directing acumen and committed acting performance (he worked with a vocal coach for months to lower his speaking voice a whole octave). His voice is low, rumbling, and worn. He sounds like someone who has just finished coughing for four and a half days straight. It suits the character, Jackson Maine, who struggles with drinking and drug use, all while still managing to perform nearly every night in front of thousands of fans who adore his music.

One night he stumbles drunk into a bar and sees Ally (Gaga) performing. She wows him with her talent and inspires him ways that we sense he hasn't felt in years. In an approach that vacillates between creepy and romantic, he woos Ally by accepting her as she is, not who she thinks others want her to be.

The next night when she attends his show, he whisks her on stage to sing the song they wrote together. The crowd goes berserk and soon the two are touring the country together. As her level of fame rises, he warns her that she must dig deep into her soul to create her art or she will lose everything.

They each fight their own battles, his with drugs, alcohol and demons from his past, and hers with not letting fame change her. Cooper's character has more to work with, but it's Gaga who shines brightest on screen. We're all well aware of her immense musical talent, and now we know that she's also an exceptional actor, one who could find herself seriously in award conversation later this year.

She may not be the only one from this film in the award conversation. Cooper's acting and directing will rightfully garner consideration as well. He aptly handles an ambitious, emotional story that does not hold back in any way. Its lack of humility should probably cause its downfall, but that's not the case. Credit both Cooper and Gaga for pulling this off. It looks like two stars have been born.

Just saw #ASIB prescreening. This film is going to be HUGE!