A Star Is Born (2018)

Highly watchable drama that remakes and subtly updates the 1937, 1954 and 1976 versions of the story. 

Struggling singer Ally (Lady Gaga) falls in love with a famous musician (Bradley Cooper, who also directs). He’s on the way down, career-wise, and is struggling with tinnitus and drink/drug issues. She’s on the way up, helped by him but quickly becoming a superstar in her own right. 

It’s touching because Gaga and Cooper seem to convey real love for each other. I found it highly believable, even if he’s given greater psychological depth than she is. They both offer a touching vulnerability and plenty of charm, and so the scenes in which they appear together are always compelling.

There’s a lot of music in the film – perhaps too much for it to work as a “serious” drama – but the performance segments are all thoroughly enjoyable in themselves.

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