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Friday, January 11, 2019

A Star is Born (2018)

This is such a great remake of a film that has literally three other versions, the first going back to 1937.  Is is a true retelling of the same story, all the while being totally modern.  I was pretty impressed with both stars performances, both acting and musically.  You can see then end from the very beginning, and the film does not fail to bring you there without veering off course at any point.
There’s a scene early into Bradley Cooper's film that distills what it’s really about and why it will hook viewers till the last frame. Cooper’s Jackson Maine, an alt-country singer with a bit more heavy guitar, is getting drunk in a drag club after a show when he meets Lady Gaga's Ally. Having worked at the club before, and now waitressing elsewhere, she’s come back to sing a song, a jaw-dropping version of "La Vie en Rose” (so memorably rendered not to many years ago by Marion Coutillard, bringing it forward in time to the 21st century).  She sashays her way down the bar and ends up locking eyes with Maine as her vocals continue to rise. He is blown away by her talent, but there’s something deeper in that eye contact. Something undeniable. Not long after, Maine plays a heartfelt song of his own for the club owner, and she comes out as he’s wrapping up, making eye contact as his vocals find emotional depth. These are two people who fall in love with each other’s talent as much as anything else, inspired by one another in a way that artists often are. This story has been told several times before—and influenced other similar romances—but Cooper and Gaga find a way to make this feel fresh and new. It’s in their eyes.

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