A Star Is Born (2018)

(M) ★★★★

Director: Bradley Cooper.

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Sam Elliott, Andrew Dice Clay, Rafi Gavron, Dave Chappelle, Anthony Ramos, Michael Harney.

"Hey little boy, what you got there?/Kind sir, it's a mollusk I've found."

There are so many truisms in A Star Is Born that you could make the argument this latest version of the rise-to-fame story is the very dictionary definition of "truism" - "a statement that is obviously true and says nothing new or interesting" (according to Google).

Musical careers wane, "rock 'n' roll relationships" are notoriously volatile, overnight sensations are never "overnight", the music industry is inherently sexist, drugs are bad mmmkay, and great art often comes from great pain. So far, so true, nothing new.

But despite all this, and despite being the fifth version of this story to hit the big screen in 81 years, the narrative arc at the heart of A Star Is Born remains compelling. And Cooper's version (his directorial debut) is a welcome modernisation. It might not be a "new" story, but updating it for our time gives it a fresh edge that's enjoyable and, yes, interesting.

The rising star here is Ally (Lady Gaga), found by veteran alt-country star Jackson Maine (Cooper) singing Edith Piaf songs in a drag bar. Jackson is struggling with substances and hearing loss, while Ally is struggling to be noticed, having been repeatedly told she wasn't pretty enough to be a popstar.

This largely predictable story, set against the backdrop of the music industry, features a handful of story beats and emotional moments that don't ring true. For example, the first time Ally joins Jackson's band on stage - sans rehearsal - it sounds too good to be true. Plus there are some character behaviours or patches of dialogue, most notably during Ally and Jackson's first night hanging out together, that seem a bit removed from reality.

But much of that is forgivable, partly because there are so many other moments that feel real, with real emotional weight behind them. A lot of this comes down to Gaga and Cooper, whose performances are top notch. Gaga probably lived some version of this, but her expression of that through Ally very nearly steals the show in her debut as a big screen lead. It's an impressive turn.

Meanwhile Cooper gives a career-best performances in a growing filmography filled with quality performances. Jackson is a mix of Keith Urban, Johnny Cash and a handful of rock cliches, but he sells it. He also does a mighty fine job of singing and playing (or at least looking like he's playing) in the musical performances. Gaga, naturally, owns the musical side of this, but Cooper is no slouch either.

They have some great songs to work with. The opener Black Eyes is a Black Keys-esque belter, Jackson's signature tune Maybe It's Time (penned by Jason Isbell) feels timeless, the movie's key duet Shallow is a fitting lead single, and the closer I'll Never Love Again is an '80s-style ballad that works beautifully in the story's context. The soundtrack is great to dig through for the songs you only get snippets of in the film, because there's a lot of gold in here. Some of the lyrics are a bit cringe-worthy, but somehow it works.

As for Cooper as director, he acquits himself well. His visual style is subtle but it works. He lets the camera roam in the live performances to create a sense of energy, and there are some haunting shots in the ending, but largely his work is unobtrusive but effective.

With the power of its music and its two leads (plus some nice support from Elliot, Chappelle and Gavron), A Star Is Born is a worthy retread of a well-worn path.