A STAR IS BORN: Heart And Soul In Cooper & Gaga’s Song

Bradley Cooper‘s variation of A Star Is Born is already emerging, rather dangerously, as an Oscar frontrunner. Even before its general release debut, the third remake of the 1937 film – following in the footsteps of the 1954 and 1976 versions – is weathering the intense weight of high expectations and enormous pressure on its shoulders, one that many-a-film would crack under. But so say most who saw the film as part of its festival run, this fourth attempt at the tragiromance is in it for the long haul. Co-starring Bradley Cooper in his directorial debut, and Lady Gaga in her first leading screen role, A Star Is Born could be the birth of many things: a directing career for Cooper, an acting career for Lady Gaga, and a serious awards contender, right out of the gate.

When a chance encounter brings Jackson Maine (Cooper), an established but independent country singer-songwriter, to Ally (Gaga), the pair begin a friendship, relationship and mentorship. As a career blossoms, one that grows more exponentially than his ever did, they come under strain from the stresses of the industry and their own personal battles, leading them to question whether their kinship is something that can (and should) last. As someone aware of but otherwise unfamiliar with the previous incarnations of this story, it is a wholly new experience and one to be approached with an open mind. So with that, are we witnessing the birth of something special here?

A film of two halves

A Star is Born is a film of two halves. The first is a decent if unspectacular hour, a more conventional romantic musical bolstered by a just handful of brilliant moments: Gaga’s spine-tingling “Shallow” performance is the clear standout (a truly impeccable moment) but it is an otherwise straightforward, easygoing assembly that doesn’t reach for the stars.

Introducing a romance that some may find difficult to buy into initially – despite the best efforts of our central pair – A Star Is Born takes its time getting to the more compelling story of identity, relationship and obligation. A few directorial decisions are bothersome and its reliance on humour can occasionally undercut some of the more powerful moments, leading to an opening act that gets the job done without reaching its full, profound potential. Like a warm-up at a concert, if you will: it’s fine, but it’s not really what you came for.

However, by the second hour, you become utterly enraptured. Emotionally obliterating, thematically richer and more confidently directed, it is an altogether superior showcase of skill and craft. It fires on almost every cylinder it is expected to, with both Gaga and Cooper going well beyond to deliver a pair of terrifically-rendered and generous performances. Cooper, Eric Roth and Will Fetters‘ screenplay has more to say, meditating on an industry resolute on manufacturing ‘the next big thing’ and unbothered by who it eats up along the way. With an ending almost certain to bring a tear to your eye (unless you’re made of stone, and then even still), A Star is Born thrives when it digs deeper.

So, let’s break it down some more.

It goes without saying that Gaga – real name Stefani Germanotta, although credited under her stage name – is one of the defining artists of her generation, but few expected her to make the transformation onto the big screen quite so effectively. With a performance that exceeds her perceived experience, it transcends beyond her obvious singing capability; she’s a bloody fantastic actress as well, offering a sophisticated turn that will be remembered.

She utterly dominates the first half with a doe-eyed, appropriately nervous energy that begins to disperse as a more ballsy strength emerges, one that elevates the narrative considerably. Willingly passing the spotlight to her co-star for the final third (without letting her guard down that is), she returns to captivate in the film’s gorgeous closing moments, rendered with pure emotion and poignancy; you believe every single word she sings. She is utterly spellbinding.

Bradley Cooper succeeds on both fronts too. As a performer, it’s a more nuanced turn: while undoubtedly brilliant in Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle, there’s more restraint demonstrated as Jackson Maine, with the cracks in his life evident in the briefest facial expression or slightest glint in his eyes. While not especially likeable in the first half, Cooper elicits more empathy from the audience as the narrative progresses; a more fragile man is developed, and while Cooper never seeks to justify Jackson’s actions or behaviour, he inspires profundity towards the character through his tremendous, steady performance.

A little less stable, but still mightily impressive in his directorial debut, is Cooper behind the camera. In the first half, flaws can be found in his direction that holds it back; the camera’s inability to stay still can be frustrating, more of a distraction than anything else, which in turn dulls the electrifying moment of their first meeting due to how tightly framed most of it is. He rarely lets the ambience sizzle and it seems like a missed opportunity to give Ally and Jackson the feverish spark they deserve.

Furthermore, and perhaps my biggest criticism with A Star Is Born, is how awkwardly it leans on humour. Despite marking a huge advancement in the plot, an award show moment appeared to play for laughs; be it just the screening I attended or not, it provoked a troubling reaction that undermined a great deal of the emotional significance of what follows. I’ll look to see how this moment transpires on a rewatch: it just sat very uncomfortably with me.

Still despite my criticism of his effort in the opening half, his direction no doubt has its moments – and he clearly grows in confidence throughout. Enhanced by some lovely cinematography from Matthew Libatique (especially during the crowd sequences, infusing an old-school cinematic magic and charm for the bigger set pieces), Cooper finds a bolder footing and a stronger course to take, cultivating a lot of the emotional heft that was not so much lacking as it was underdeveloped earlier on.

Important to any musical, A Star Is Born’s melodies are effective; as mentioned, “Shallow” and “I’ll Never Love Again” are the names you will see crop up time and time again, and I’ll put my money on both earning Oscar nominations next year –  the trophy is probably already engraved with the former’s title, even at this early stage. “Always Remember Us This Way” and “Is That Alright?” are two other highlights, although one would conclude that this is a musical that will benefit from the forthcoming soundtrack’s release: there’s a lot going on within the film that it occasionally becomes difficult to appreciate some of the music, as you are unable to fully relish individual tracks, given their thematic or sonic similarity.

I willed the film to explore a wider range of genres. In fact, while the irony is not at all lost on me (and is surprisingly reflective of Gaga’s career: her recent transition away from conventional pop) “Why Did You Do That?”, a purposely provocative swipe at show businesses’ sexualisation and obsession with image, differentiates itself because of its uniqueness. It might go against the purpose and meaning of the song but I’ll be damned if it isn’t one of the more memorable numbers of the film.

In Conclusion: A Star Is Born

If Gaga is A Star is Born’s beating heart, Cooper is its gentle soul, and they lift each other up. Each stirring in the emotion they evoke through both their acting and singing, ultimately influencing the narrative in different ways entirely. Gaga’s musical talents are showcased in powerful, emotionally-fluctuating glory, thankfully translated into her acting credentials too; meanwhile, Cooper steers the ship valiantly, stirring both in front of and behind the camera, expressing a profound sorrow which is interlaced wonderfully throughout the story. Their energies are perfectly complementary and their chemistry is fantastically matched by the end, if not so assuredly to start with.

In this great 135 minute film is an even stronger 120-minute film, but otherwise, particularly for his first feature-length, Cooper keeps A Star Is Born nicely tight throughout the second and third act, announcing himself as the next great actor-director.  As well as turning Gaga into the next hot big screen commodity, Cooper crafts a film that shines brightest when it needs to, ending on a stirring, emotionally-captivating and indescribably powerful note. The 3 star opening hour (and a bit) and 5-star closing hour (and a bit) coalesce to form an impressive film with heart and soul in its song – and while it’s important to remember that awards aren’t the be all and end all, I can see a shiny future as A Star Is Born begins its ascends to the stratosphere.

Are you far from the shallow now?

A Star Is Born is released in the UK on October 3rd and the US on October 5th. Additional release dates can be found here.