A STAR IS BORN
film extras
OUT NOW Digital HD 11 FEBRUARY DVD, BD, 4K EXTRAS Making Of (BD/4K), Jam sessions/rarities (BD/4K), Music videos, Musical Moments viewing option
Bradley Cooper’s remake of the well-worn Hollywood rom-dram (this is the third US remake inspired by the 1937 original) effortlessly avoids a number of potential pitfalls. Not only is this Cooper’s first time behind the camera, he also casts himself in a musically demanding leading role, opposite a pop star with limited dramatic experience.
Across the board, Cooper’s brave decisions yield positive results. As a director he has an extremely sure hand. He’s equally impressive as Jackson Maine, a rocker better at selling out stadiums than practising self-care; it’s his finest performance yet, and surprisingly he’s also an extremely capable singer. Lady Gaga performs the opposite trick: she’s predictably great at the singing, but as budding singersongwriter Ally, she makes you believe that she’s not actually Lady Gaga.
As in previous versions, their romance peaks as their career paths
cross: as she takes off, he falters. During the first half at least, the film serves as a duet (often literally) and, whether by luck or design, the high points in the earworm-y soundtrack are their characters’ collaborations. The music adds to the overall authenticity: every environment feels real, and even when the plot sometimes asks for disbelief-suspension, the power of the songs tends to paper over any cracks.
The first half of the film is nearly flawless, but the second half occasionally wobbles. Ally’s arc feels somewhat abridged, and her sleazy manager (Rafi Gavron) – so obviously villainous he might as well wear a cape – is the only bum-note in an otherwise pitch-perfect supporting cast. Sam Elliott, especially, is superb as Jackson’s road manager/father figure: rarely has someone reversed a car with such emotional gravitas. It’s only right that Oscar’s recent nod reversed his awards season absence.
Naturally, the extras focus heavily on the music: videos (padded with repetitive clips), rehearsal footage (including Cooper and Gaga’s trial run of ‘Midnight Special’), and an option to watch only the film’s musical moments. There’s also a solid, glossy 30-minute Making Of that features all of the key talent, and more candid footage. It’s a shame there’s no commentary, but perhaps Cooper felt he’d left it all on the screen. Despite reworking a familiar formula, this Star feels astutely zeitgeisty. “Talent comes everywhere, but having something to say and a way to say it so that people listen to it, that’s a whole other bag,” Jack tells Ally. Based on this evidence, Cooper’s a filmmaker worth listening to. Matt Maytum