Movie Review : A Star Is Born (2018)

A STAR IS BORN

Directed by :                  Bradley Cooper

                                         Screenplay by

                                         Eric Roth

                                         Bradley Cooper

                                         Will Fetters

 

Based on :                       A Star Is Born (1954 screenplay)

                                          by Moss Hart

                                          A Star Is Born (1976 screenplay)

                                          by John Gregory Dunne

                                          Joan Didion

                                          Frank Pierson

                                          A Star Is Born (story)

                                          by William Wellman

                                          Robert Carson

Produced by  :                 Bill Gerber

                                           Jon Peters

                                           Bradley Cooper

                                           Todd Phillips

                                           Lynette Howell Taylor

Starring :                           Bradley Cooper

                                           Lady Gaga

                                           Andrew Dice Clay

                                           Dave Chappelle

                                           Sam Elliott

Cinematography  :          Matthew Libatique

Edited by  :                       Jay Cassidy

Production companies : Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

                                           Live Nation Productions

                                           Gerber Pictures

                                           Peters Entertainment

                                           Joint Effort

Distributed by :               Warner Bros. Pictures

Release date :                  August 31, 2018 (Venice)

                                           October 5, 2018 (United States)

Running time :                 136 minutes

Country :                           United States

Language :                        English

Budget :                             $36 million

Box office  :                       $436.2 million

SYNOPSIS :

Jackson "Jack" Maine, a famous country rock singer privately battling an alcohol and drug addiction, plays a concert. His main support is Bobby, his manager and older half-brother. After a show, Jack goes out for drinks and visits a drag bar where he witnesses a tribute performance to Edith Piaf by Ally, who works as a waitress and singer-songwriter. Jack is amazed by her performance, and they spend the night talking to each other, where Ally discusses her unsuccessful efforts in pursuing a professional music career. Ally shares with Jack some lyrics she has been working on, and he tells her she is a talented songwriter and should perform her own material.

Jack invites Ally to his next show. Despite her initial refusal, she attends and, with Jack's encouragement, sings "Shallow" on stage with him. Jack invites Ally to go on tour with him, and they form a romantic relationship. In Arizona, Ally and Jack visit the ranch where Jack grew up and where his father is buried, only to find that Bobby had sold the land, and it was converted to a wind farm. Angered at his betrayal, Jack punches Bobby, who subsequently quits as his manager. Before doing so, Bobby reveals that he did inform Jack about the sale, but Jack was too inebriated to notice.

While on tour, Ally meets Rez, a record producer who offers her a contract. Although visibly bothered, Jack still supports her decision. Rez refocuses Ally away from country music and towards pop. Jack misses one of Ally's performances after he passes out drunk in public; he recovers at the home of his best friend George "Noodles" Stone, and later makes up with Ally. There he proposes to Ally with an impromptu ring made from a loop of a guitar string, and they are married that same day at a church ministered by a relative of Noodles.

During Ally's performance on Saturday Night Live, Bobby reconciles with Jack. Later, Ally and an inebriated Jack have a fight about Ally's growing artistic success. Jack drunkenly criticizes Ally's new image and music. Her success appears to be outpacing his own recent decline in popularity. By comparison, Ally is nominated for three Grammy Awards. At the Grammys, a visibly intoxicated Jack performs in a tribute to Roy Orbison and, later in the evening, Ally wins the Best New Artist award. When she goes up on stage to receive her award, a still inebriated Jack staggers up to her, where he publicly wets himself and passes out. Ally's father, Lorenzo, berates a semi-conscious Jack, while Ally attempts to help Jack sober up. Jack joins a rehabilitation program shortly thereafter. While recovering in rehab for about two months, Jack discloses to his counselor that he tried to commit suicide by hanging at 12 years old. He also mentions that he has hearing problems due to tinnitus, which has been getting worse.

Jack tearfully apologizes to Ally for his behavior. While returning home, Jack admits to Bobby that it was him he idolized and not their father. Ally asks Rez to bring Jack to perform with her European tour, and Rez refuses, prompting Ally to cancel the remainder of the tour so she can care for Jack. Later, Rez arrives at their home to await Ally; while waiting, Rez confronts Jack and accuses him of nearly ruining Ally's career and stating that Jack will certainly relapse again. That evening, Ally lies to Jack and tells him that her record label has canceled her tour so she can focus on her second album. Jack promises that he will come to her concert that night, but after Ally leaves, he hangs himself in their garage. Ally, grief-stricken and inconsolable after Jack's suicide, is visited by Bobby, who tells her that the suicide was Jack's own fault and not hers. The closing scenes reveal a flashback of Jack working on a song about his love for Ally, which he never finished writing. Ally sings this song as a tribute to Jack, introducing herself for the first time as Ally Maine. The film ends with a close-up of Ally looking up to the heavens.

HONEST REVIEW : 

I really want to review this film because for me, A Star Is Born is the next musical film in this era that has a music album with many songs that can be enjoyed as much as watching the film version and I rate this film 9 out of 10. This film carries a lot of diversity issues, ranging from the involvement of LGBT elements more than other films, to racial issues, bullying, addiction, and depression. this film feels more fresh and interesting without having to put the group as a mere 'hurray team'. 

The issue of bullying alias bullying is also raised in this film. This film clearly depicts the Hollywood industry, both music and film, which is not as friendly as it appears on the screen. Full of subjective judgments and gender inequality. Not to mention depression and addiction. Problems and the impact of depression that landed - not only for actors in the entertainment world - is depicted clearly through the turmoil that occurred in Jackson Maine's life. One lesson that can certainly be taken from this film: "alcohol (drunk) does not solve the problem."