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At the base, the four versions of A star is born – the original drama of 1937 and three musical iterations – mine the same territory: an aspiring actress or singer falls under the professional and romantic charm of an older actor or singer and her career climbs meteorologically.
However, the outlines are different in each film, and in the latest version, Bradley Cooper, who sings singer-songwriter Jackson Maine, and Lady Gaga, like Ally, offers us extremely likeable characters, whose considerable musical talents are eclipsed only by their vulnerabilities.
Likely to make favorable comparisons with the latest remake – 1976 version with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson – A star is born 4.0, which opens its doors on October 5, is an exciting and ultimately heartbreaking story about the power of music to heal and the corrosive ability of the music industry to destroy all but the most souls strong.
The chemistry of Cooper and Lady Gaga is off the charts. It is a spark ignited not only by their physical attraction, but by the creative energy that crackles between their characters as composers and performers. After a ridiculously entertaining scene where Maine discovers Ally performing Edith Piaf's "Pink Life" in a noisy bar, her astonishment when Ally sings her own a capella song for himself in an empty parking lot is the stuff of the film.
In a haunting performance, Lady Gaga's Ally, propelled by Maine's belief, goes from reluctant reluctant waitress to join him on stage for a stunning duo from 'Shallow' show to then claim her own star at her concert in front of dozens of thousands. To her credit, Lady Gaga is still credible as a developing talent who loves Maine and does not use it to advance her career, but she will surely grab the brass ring once at hand.
In his debut as a confident director, Cooper is also revealing. By singing and playing himself, he is quite believable as a slightly grizzly, charming, alcoholic and addict troubadour, whose decades of fame are not so far that he does not yet ask his chauffeur how his son is. and listen to the answer.
In a very short time, Ally passes a singer-songwriter – with an album cover of Carole King Tapestry on the wall of his room – a puppet pop and glitter, singing tasteless lines like "why you come around me with an ass like that" during his Saturday Night Live beginning. The film never clearly indicates why Ally, who is otherwise determined, does not vehemently protest the lowering of his music. Is it because she is so in love with a potential celebrity that she is happy to dilute her sound, or does her manager (Rafi Gavron) force her to change color by changing her hair color and his fashion choices? Be that as it may, the film highlights the fact that female artists are often forced to play their sexuality so that male artists are rarely solicited.
In contrast to Kristofferson's portrayal, Cooper's Maine rarely seems to resent Ally's grudge, as his downward spiral fueled by substances leads to breathtaking business gigs and an onset, instead of playing, in a Grammy tribute to Roy Orbison. One of the most vehement scenes where he attacks her verbally, both professionally and personally – and he knows exactly what to say to apologize the most – seems more motivated by the fact that she deploys his talent as his bitterness to his success. To her credit, as her devastation caused by her heartbreaking words is played on her face, Ally is doing as well as she can. As compassionate as it is throughout the film – even when it publicly humiliates him for the last time – playing the savior does not feature on his resume.
Unlike previous versions, Maine and Ally both have their own support systems, beyond the usual sycophants. Ally's father, played with a clumsy sweetness by Andrew Dice Clay, and his best friend Ramon (Anthony Ramos) really care about his well-being. For Maine, the childhood friend Noodles (Dave Chappelle, in a short but pivotal scene) and his older brother Bobby Maine (the always-good Sam Elliott) provide a solid foundation, even when the rivalry between Jackson and Bobby separate them.
None of this would matter if the concert scenes were not so strong. A star is born overflowing with musical goodness, filled with new songs written by Lady Gaga and Cooper, as well as a lineup of contributors, including Jason Isbell, Mark Ronson, Lukas Nelson (whose band Promise of the Real is Maine's support group), Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna and Natalie Hemby. The absolute authenticity of their performances, filmed at Stagecoach, Coachella and Glastonbury, is undoubtedly also the result of Lady Gaga's insistence that she and Cooper sing live. The final stage of Ally's triumph – filmed at LA's Shrine Auditorium, where Judy Garland also shot a 1954 version stage – just as when Whitney Houston shouted "I'll always love" at the end of The bodyguard, with a breathtaking ballad: "I'll never love it again."
If the end, which remains faithful to the past versions, seems a little too obvious, it certainly proves that the series must continue.
Even though the Oscars season is just beginning, it's hard to imagine A star is born do not take serious material at home, with possible signs for the best photo, director, actor, actress, cinematographer and, of course, the best original song.
(Interscope will publish the A star is born the original tape of October 5, date of opening of the film.)
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