A Star Is Born: Bradley Cooper retells the 1976 story of music, alcohol, and changing with fame

By Olivia Savage, Third Year Film & TV

Bradley Cooper’s stylish directing debut A Star Is Born is a remake of the famous story of a bittersweet romance between two talented musicians, highlighting the turbulence and dangers associated with rising to stardom - a tale that could not be more relevant to the music industry today.

Cooper stars as Jackson Maine, a famous rock star whose career is on the brink of decline due to excessive alcoholism and substance abuse. He is reminiscent of the 1976 Kris Kristofferson portrayal of the character, rocking his shaggy haircut and piercing blue eyes, and expertly lowering the tone of his voice to replicate Kristofferson’s country accent. However, Cooper gives the character a more sympathetic development than the 1976 remake, exposing to the audience his depression as he comes to terms with looming deafness from tinnitus and family troubles.

After watching the unconventionally attractive Ally (Lady Gaga) perform at a drag bar, Jack soon becomes obsessed with her talent. At the same time, he falls in love with her and everything she represents. Persuading her to perform on stage with him at his sell-out shows, Ally soon outshines Jack's fame and becomes the next new global hit, ultimately sending Jack’s career deeper into a downward spiral. A Star Is Born intensely plays on the happy yet toxic relationship between the pair, whose successes juxtapose each other and leads to tragic consequences.

Lady Gaga’s performance as Ally is phenomenal. Showcasing her acting ability, Gaga masters the portrayal of a normal, humble person and separates her image from the weird and wacky Gaga. She convincingly portrays the whirlwind emotions of getting a big break but always remains grounded and humble, contrasting with Jack’s volatile nature.

Bradley Cooper also gives an excellent and persuasive performance as the boozy addict and demonstrates well his directing ability with a stylish and vibrant film. He gives an emotional performance at the rehab center, where he breaks down in uncontrollable tears and sincerely apologises to Ally - a pivotal scene in the film.

Cooper’s directorial decision to focus more on Jack’s character and motivation, showing him try to make amends with his addiction, is an effective move away from the 1976 version of the film. Because of this, Jack is more vulnerable, and more likeable to an audience who understand his struggle more.

However, the decision for Ally to change her physical appearance and sound with her increased fame is disappointing. In the 1976 Barbra Streisand version of the character, Esther’s increased fame does not change her look, proving that the voice should be more important than image. Ally’s controlling manager, Rez (Rafi Gavron), plays a huge role in the changes in the new version, playing on how Ally admits she didn’t make it before because of how she looked and the size of her nose. It seems like Cooper is suggesting that you do need to be more attractive to make it. However, perhaps it is a warning to audiences of the pressures of appearance when being in the spotlight.

The most impacting aspect of A Star Is Born is the relevance of Jack’s troubled fame in today’s popular culture, especially the music industry. In particular, when Ally is accepting her award at the Grammys and a highly inebriated Jack stumbles on stage to her - it’s excruciating to watch. The scene is sadly reminiscent of Amy Winehouse’s last ever performance, when she stumbled around and fell on the stage in a similar way to Jack, all the more tragic for her death soon after. Cooper’s film is a warning and raises awareness of the recurring themes as musicians decline, emphasising the bittersweet nature of fame.

I highly recommend viewers to give A Star Is Born a chance, but it’s not an easy watch. Whilst there’s an array of brilliant songs and vibrant cinematography to give us an insight into the exciting world of fame, it also notes the shocking and dark byproducts, which give the film a huge amount of depth and relevance to addiction and depression in society.

Featured Image: IMDb / A Star Is Born / Warner Bros

Could you recognise Lady Gaga in her role as Ally?

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