Review of A Star Is Born (2018) by Colette W — 05 Oct 2018

Well, it has happened again. Our esteemed New Yorker critic finds that A Star is Born is actually a Star generator remade for one purpose, to refract Lady Gaga's star wattage to shine a light on Bradley Cooper's too tightly framed cameos. He is right in one sense, Gaga's lumens are off the chart, she can light up a stadium or carry a torch song sitting in an empty parking lot. How many times have we seen her "command" the world stage, no less. But until this movie, I had never peeked inside, seen the lovely shape of her eyes, sat backstage with her or even had an inkling as to why someone so insanely talented would wear a meat dress. Her character's uncanny perception have her writing a song about Jack Maine the same night they meet and she wonders how tiring it must be, the constant need to fill the voids created by so many losses in his life. In that moment, you feel like you have shared some space with Stephanie Germanotta for the first time.

It is almost as though our critic Mr. Brody cannot see beyond the simple story of two artists, one waning while the other ascends, crossing the horizon into night. Perhaps he cannot discern the difference between jealousy and a man hanging on for dear life. Possible spoiler alert, this feels too damn real. All those tight close ups allow Cooper to crowd himself into a small space with us and we are suddenly face to face with someone we love who may harm himself. The discomfort of that space is choking and terrifying, it is almost too raw considering those we have lost recently. Perhaps there should be more trigger warnings like the ones on self harm for Sharp Objects. Everything rests on this moment, that's Cooper keeping it real, he goes full Day of the Locust to help us understand. In comparison the other remakes pack the emotional wallop of Love Boat.