A Star Is Born

I can't get it out of my head, I just can't. Lady Gaga's smile and movements and Bradley's lovestruck and drunken look. That moment when they stand on stage together or sit at the piano and let the music and love completely take over. The way they sing and harmonize together, and it has incredible power. if I can manage it, I don't cry when I’m in a movie theater. Here I couldn't manage it. Biggest surprise of the year so far. (2018-10-22)

I was skeptical about this film, but it ended up being enjoyable, touching, and Bradley Cooper deserves much admiration for his acting, directing, writing and singing. Lady Gaga has already shown in American Horror Story that she can act too and here she just strongly confirms it and I hope she gets a well-deserved Oscar. The highlight for me was Ally's first appearance on stage, she literally brings the whole stadium down with her voice. I also praise the well-chosen songs. A solid film for the genre, but I'm not the target audience. 75%. (2018-12-30)

A romantic flick for the ladies, A Star Is Born is directed and acted with heart, but lacks a single motif, relationship or storyline that we haven’t seen hundreds of times elsewhere and that would make it stand out. Only Cooper’s acting performance is excellent. And Gaga is very solid for a non-actress. (2018-10-04)

The melodrama, which works as long as the two of them are searching for the way to each other, are inseparable, partying backstage and sing duets. However, as soon as Ally leaves the civilian image and embarks on a horrible pop-solo career (although this is an intention, but the fact that it is hardly watchable does not change anything), it stops working, because suddenly as if Cooper did not know whether to focus more on Jack or Ally. As a result, he doesn't pay much attention to either one. Many touched topics (Jack's brother, Ally's victims, etc.) lead nowhere; which is the most striking in the case of the motif of gradual deafness. It was supposed to be the centerpiece and not a topic that you don't even know if she even knew / think of. The other half is fragmented and without pace, when you know exactly what it is aiming for, but it stretches through too many unnecessary scenes that are completely the same. And so even the final emotional overflowing song tribute will not shake disappointing impressions. (2019-01-20)

I knew I was getting into rather unfriendly waters as a viewer, but the mostly enthusiastic responses and the Oscar buzz were too strong – if only I could have resisted. A nicely made and very well acted cloying flick with great story potential, but somehow drowning in booze like Bradley’s character. The beginning and the introduction of the characters are good, the first joint stage scene is heart-warming thanks to the beautiful songs, but the rest goes on a motivationally shaky narrative mode that taps on a lot of themes, but none to the extent they would deserve. It seems as if nobody had time to ponder what this story should be about: the rise of an “ugly duckling” into the music industry elite, or the complicated relationship of two talented people with a focus on the alcoholism and the health problems of one of them; in the end, the script aims somewhere between both and never delivers the longed-for catharsis. It’s a pity, because the music and the distinctive characters alone deserved a better movie. (2019-01-21)