Movie: A Star Is Born

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Sam Elliott, Rafi Gavron

Director: Bradley Cooper

Genre: Drama, musical

Duration: 2hr 16 min

Story:

Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) is a music star who has succumbed to the comfort of booze and drugs. Searching for that comfort one day, he meets Ally (Lady Gaga) a nobody trying hard to make it into show business. He falls for her voice, her songs, and her nose. He gives her stage, love, and the troubles of past that come bundled with addiction and insecurity. As Ally's star rises, it takes a toll on their creative and romantic relationship. The constant yo-yo of recovery and relapse stops with a tragic end, leaving one in tears and in awe of the music they just soaked in.

Review:

Helps when you have a clean slate with regards to previous versions of the movie or the Indian version of it. But it does not help when you have heard the soundtrack a million times before setting foot in the theatre. Because every time a song comes on, your body and mind betray. They take a double dip in excitement and awe. Music is undoubtedly the star born out of this movie.

Debutante director Bradley Cooper doubles the octaves of drama as well. It touches new height in the end. Especially in the scene right before the last song. The tension builds up octave by octave and it also makes you root for the flawed relationship. But the confrontations in those scenes never reach full potential. Arguments fizzle out as quickly as they begin. There are a few moments that feel a little abrupt and dragged. Pacing and the length of the movie becomes a problem sometimes. Lady Gaga's transformation into a character loosely based on a cheap version of the pop diva herself hurts the trust Ally wins from viewers in the beginning. It is derivative and not in a good way. 

Lady Gaga grows into this character scene by scene. At first, it feels like Ally has a long way before she will take the stage and command the crowd. Her rookie eyes learn about the craft, but her wise heart knows her relationship with a drunk music star will never be a piece of cake. In the first few minutes of the movie, we get to know that Ally has moxie. And Jackson has only a thin layer of confidence left. Cooper doesn't the lose the drunken swerve in his step or drawl in his speech for a second.

Director Cooper knows what he needs to get out of Gaga and what power she has when she is near a microphone. Gaga also surprises by matching Cooper pound for a pound as they share the frame.

The decision to keep the shots tight and close up most of the time pays off, narrowing down the larger than life story to a simple drama. The use of red in the lighting changes meaning from intimacy to dread to oblivion.

Verdict: 

We have had our dose of Aashiqui 2, but it has nothing on what Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper bring to the table.

Critic's Ratings: 3.5/5