The cinematic event of the year is undeniably A Star Is Born – it is a film that has taken the world by surprise, and surpassed every expectation put upon the third remake of a classic film. A great deal has been written about this film – many have mentioned how A Star Is Born is an explosive directorial debut for Bradley Cooper, who managed to impress audiences with his marvellous skills behind the camera, as well as giving arguably his greatest acting performance to date, making this the very epitome of a passion project. Others have drawn attention to the fact that A Star Is Born is the official film debut of Lady Gaga (wisely forgetting about her performance in Machete Kills), the world-renowned pop icon who has redefined music in her own way, and has turned in one of the finest performances of the year, a masterful depiction of a young woman who just wants to succeed, but not at the expense of losing her soul or alienating those who she is closest to. A Star Is Born has lent itself to a vast amount of debate and discussion – but what I really want to talk about is what this film says, and how I responded to it. Perhaps it could be seen as unprofessional, to make something so deeply personal, because the reviewer is usually just a subjective vessel of objective observations and lamentations. A Star Is Born is a film that struck a true chord with me, and I would be wasting the opportunity if I didn’t talk about precisely why this film resonated with me to an almost unimaginable degree. It is a film that certainly means a lot to many people, and it would be dishonest if I didn’t contribute my own thoughts and meditations to the powerful emotive might conveyed throughout this extraordinary film. Long story short, A Star Is Born is an utter masterpiece, and amongst the finest cinematic achievements of the year.

Where to start with A Star Is Born? In all honesty, this is a film that, on the surface, doesn’t appear to be anything particularly special – it is yet another remake of the 1937 romantic drama of the same name which starred one of the silent era’s great leading ladies, Janet Gaynor, which had previously been adapted in 1954 (starring the peerless Judy Garland) and 1976 (with the incomparable icon Barbra Streisand). The story itself – the rise to fame and subsequent decline, as well as the backstage drama – is nothing that hasn’t been conveyed in countless films, television shows, stage productions and songs. The directorial choice also didn’t really stir up much confidence that A Star Is Born would be anything really special – yet, Bradley Cooper proved himself in ways that cannot be described, and he turned out a film that is so honest in its bold emotion and resonant content, without ever daring to be falsely sentimental, and overcoming every challenge such a film has from its genesis. Cooper has made a career for himself as a consistently great actor in a range of films, from broad comedies to more intimate fare, but his choice to make this his directorial debut was obviously met with some scepticism – and like any talented artist who was underestimated, not only did Cooper prove the detractors wrong by making a great film, he elevated a common subject from an effective drama into one of the most emotionally-searing films of the year, a musical drama with an over-abundance of heart and a meaningful message that pervades every frame of this film, turning it into something so astonishing, a film that astounds the audience and not only leaves us shocked at the unrestrained brilliance, but also thoroughly provoked and emotionally-broken. It breaks the audience down and builds us up again through brutal honesty and earnest tenderness. It is far more than just a film about a young woman rising to the status of a true star while the person who discovered her finds his own fame declining. It is a sensational and spirited drama that always remains beautifully refined and fervidly graceful.

There is a raw quality to A Star Is Born that had not been present in the previous adaptations, and while comparing to preceding incarnations of this story is counter-productive and unfair (each one stands on their own merits and succeed as independent films of their own, only sharing the same skeletal story), there is something about this version that just struck me with a magnetic poignancy that I just can’t get rid of, something that lingers on in the mind long after the film has ended. To call this a resonant film is a great understatement – I don’t think I recalled seeing a single dry eye when exiting that cinema last night. Nearly every audience member in my screening was clearly fighting back the tears, with some of them understandably failing – and if ever a film was deserving of the status of being one with raw, visceral emotion, its A Star Is Born. I just can’t explain exactly what makes this such an extraordinarily special film. It isn’t one that lends itself to much articulable discussion, because while the story is relatively basic, the underlying message and the way it is conveyed isn’t particularly easy to describe. It is an experience that just exists outside the realm of what can be described. I won’t pretend that A Star Is Born is a perfect film, but this is an instance where the flaws while glaring, don’t detract from the film’s glowing merits in any way. Cooper created something so extraordinary, so stirring and hauntingly beautiful, it would be nearly impossible for it to be considered as anything other than an uplifting triumph.

Perhaps its difficult to describe what makes A Star Is Born such a powerful film because there isn’t a single element that makes it so. There isn’t one part of the story that holds as universally resonant, but there is very little doubt that everyone will find something in this film that will profoundly touch them. From my perspective, A Star Is Born is a tragedy, the story of two individuals lost in a hostile world, one that is unkind to those that aren’t willing to take risks and work hard to make themselves known. A world populated by myriads of people who are extremely talented, with only a small fraction of them being given the opportunity to have the exposure that their talents deserve, as well as looking at the dangers of fame and the risks that come with being in the public consciousness. One of these individuals is Jackson Maine, a famous rock star who has allowed fame to lead him into an addiction that not only derails his career but also threatens his personal relationships. The other is Ally, an unknown waitress and amateur singer-songwriter with passion aplenty and the willingness to work hard for recognition that she just never gets, no matter how hard she tries. A chance meeting brings them together and sets them off into a series of experiences that may build them both up and subsequently break them down to points lower than they had ever been before, yet it taught them important lessons – about fame, about passion, about love and about life as a whole. It showed them the addictive quality of success and the bleak despair of failure. It showed them the importance of looking to others who care for us before we look to ourselves for our own selfish intentions. A Star Is Born is a film that exceeds its simple but effective story, showing itself to be a universally-resonant film about navigating a harsh world with as much optimism as someone can find within themselves, in the hopes that perhaps today will be the day everything changes, and it often does – for better or for worse.

Bradley Cooper – what else can be said about him, especially after the masterful achievement that is A Star Is Born? Personally, I am relishing in the fact that his career has gone from starring in entertaining but empty broad comedies, to making something as utterly incredible as A Star Is Born, a nuanced achievement that exceeds every expectation we had of him. The passion he feels towards this project is unbelievably palpable, and whether in his position as director, producer, writer or star, he manages to impress in ways I didn’t think were possible through the incredible effort he put into making this film, one that extends far beyond being a vanity project, and was rather an incredible labour of love from an actor exploring new avenues of artistic expression, and succeeding beautifully. A Star Is Born is one of the most effective directorial debuts of recent years, and considering it hails from the mind of Cooper makes it even more special – he shows himself to be capable of such nuance, and he excels in every role he plays in this film, and proves himself far more than just being the consistent leading man we have come to be familiar, entering into new territory as a great filmmaker in his own right. His attention to detail throughout this film, as well as his ability to look at this film from a much wider perspective,  allows it to manifest in a truly incredible, emotive experience that one would never expect a relative directorial novice like Cooper to be capable of. The film is exceptionally well-made, and we can only credit that to Cooper’s keen filmmaking abilities, and his relentless effort in making something special.

However, while A Star Is Born is a great film, which can mainly be credited to Cooper’s audacious vision and tireless work in constructing this film, what struck me as most poignant was his performance in the leading role. Jackson Maine is a tricky character, a set of complexities and enigmatic quandaries – he begins the film as a world-renowned rock star, who can sell out entire stadiums to adoring fans. Towards the end of the film, he’s playing backing guitar in a Roy Orbison tribute at the Grammy Awards. The decline in Cooper’s character throughout the film is subtle but effective, and I can only proclaim this as Cooper’s best performance – I have yet to see him give such a layered, brilliant portrayal of a character, and while he is undeniably talented, A Star Is Born brought out something entirely new in him. Cooper is a very good actor, and while he has been in his fair share of mediocre films, recent years have seen him evolve into a really solid leading man, and he may have just reached the apex of his career with A Star Is Born. He played an addict who was heartbreaking rather than unlikeable, and he tapped into the inner humanity of the character in his depiction of Maine, always taking the high road, but also not excusing his alcoholism and drug addiction as simply quirks of his character, but rather enormous flaws that put both himself and his loved ones in danger, as well as putting his career in irreparable peril. There is an unquestionable strength in his performance that is just utterly luminous. He is the personification of anyone who cannot handle success and becomes disillusioned with the modern world to the point of becoming almost entirely detached from it. Cooper is incredible, and the intricate brilliance of his performance makes an indelible impact, and there is a lot that I just can’t forget about A Star Is Born, and Cooper’s performance is one of them.

So much of A Star Is Born was marketed on this being the feature leading debut of Lady Gaga. I find it interesting that in all three previous iterations of this story, none of the performers occupying this role was as unknown as their character – quite the contrary, as they were all established performers with strong careers. Yet, each version of this story was a defining moment for all of them, and Lady Gaga is not an exception. To say that she played this role well is a grand understatement – she disappeared into the role of Ally, and she became almost unrecognizable. I adore Lady Gaga and her explosive work as an artist over the past decade has been incredible, yet A Star Is Born made me fall in love with her all over again. The vulnerability she brings to this couple, coupled with her indescribable, intense passion, both as an actress and a singer, creates a performance that blew me away. This isn’t just one of Gaga’s finest moments: it is one that redefines her career – it is a revolutionary performance, one that shows her as being far more complex than we ever expected. I knew she was a great performer, and as a singer there are few with such incredible showmanship – but A Star Is Born confirmed to me that she possesses such a vast array of talents that we had not been previously exposed to, such as her incredible acting abilities that were wasted in bit parts and one of the worst seasons of American Horror Story. Perhaps this is a result of the remnant emotions that linger on, but I can’t remember the last time a performance moved me like this, and I credit this to Gaga giving this performance absolutely everything she had to give, being unwavering in her commitment to the role, and I found myself occasionally forgetting that this was Lady Gaga, one of this century’s most iconic performers, but rather a newcomer giving her breakthrough performance. I am just so thrilled that A Star Is Born allows us to enter into a new era, where Lady Gaga is once again at the very top of her craft, this time just adding another area of entertainment that she has naturally excelled into her ever-expanding list of achievements. As hackneyed as it is to say, while this film is called A Star Is Born, Gaga’s performance convinces me that a star has been reborn, and I quite frankly am beyond excited to see what the future holds for her.

The character of Ally means a great deal to me. She is the representation of the nameless, faceless unknown who has considerable talents but have them wasted away because of a lack of visibility or recognition. However, she is more than just the young talented woman who is in search of fame – she is a hard-working person who is constantly underestimated, never being given a chance. I feel like many of us can relate to this in some way – being dismissed because of a number of reasons. A Star Is Born extends far beyond being a tale of a young woman’s journey from obscurity to worldwide fame, travelling from the squalid stage at a drag bar, to huge stadiums where she is perpetually greeted by the resounding cheers of her multitudes of devotees. The central theme is fame, but the main message is one of the inherently human search for success and recognition – every one of us, in some capacity, is looking to be recognized and acknowledged for one thing or the other, and A Star Is Born looks at such an instance, one where the success has greater exposure, and the failures more dire consequences and ramifications, but the theme is undeniably universal. A Star Is Born is a film made for any of us who have felt unappreciated, unloved or misunderstood, and as heartbreaking as it is, it boldly states that whatever we do, wherever we go, our good deeds and relentless efforts are never unrewarded and that while we may face considerable challenges getting there, diversions, distractions and obstacles that could very easily derail us, it is important to keep moving forward. Tragedy and heartbreak are inevitable parts of life, and failure is almost certain for anyone who dares to take the chance to pursue their ambitions, no matter how big or small. It is overcoming all of life’s challenges that make us who we are, and A Star Is Born shows this in perfect clarity, and the pure emotional resonance possessed within this very simple message is extraordinary.

One aspect of A Star Is Born that may be its biggest strength is that it has heart – this is a film that understands the power this story has, and it uses its themes to extract every possible moment of poignancy and emotional engagement, and much of this is done through the character-driven quality of the film, made effective but the excellent cast. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper are obviously incredible, and exceed every expectation and turn in two of the finest performances of the year. Yet, A Star Is Born is more than just them, and a lot of its heart is in the supporting players, most of which are equally as compelling, giving moving performances in smaller roles. The defining performance in this regard comes from Sam Elliott, a veteran actor who has been a welcome presence in many films throughout the years, always serving as a warm supporting presence. A Star Is Born sees Elliott at his very best, and despite only having a mere nine minutes of screen time, his presence is indelible and omnipotent, and as Jackson’s empathetic but volatile older brother, Elliott finds the raw resonance in a character who has to watch as his brother, the person he helped raise, become more famous than he ever was, living the dreams and achieving the ambitions that Bobby had always envisioned himself as having. This is a masterful performance from an actor who has unfortunately been relegated to memorable but otherwise inconsequential bit parts throughout the years, a reliable but secondary presence to more distinctive performances. A Star Is Born allows Elliott the opportunity to give one of his strongest performances to date, playing a character with exceptional depth and inextricable nuance, and a set of complexities that make him a truly fascinating character – I only wish that we got to see more of him, because he was one of the most compelling parts of the film. Comedic icons Dave Chappelle and Andrew Dice Clay have small roles, as Cooper’s childhood friend and Gaga’s father respectively, and both are excellent in their small roles, contributing a great deal to the film as a whole. A Star Is Born thrives on the performances of the cast, and without their captivating performances, I doubt this film would have been nearly as effective, and each performer in the ensemble, veteran or newcomer, was astonishing

Honestly, this review is a bit of a rambling, incoherent bundle of disconnected thoughts, and it it is quite contradictory to the beautiful simplicity and elegance of the film itself. However, I do think there is a reason why A Star Is Born is one of the year’s most successful films, both in critical acclaim and audience reception. This is an unassuming film that takes the audience on a very moving journey, looking at the resonant concepts of success and failure, and most importantly, our search for meaning, whatever it may be that we are pursuing, our own individual dreams and ambitions. Bradley Cooper made an extraordinary film here, one that astonished me with its brute emotional force and pulchritudinous grandiosity – it never tries to be over-ambitious or unnecessarily grandiose, and as a result of this almost humble execution, it soars far higher than if it had been more focused on its own towering merits. I just can’t describe precisely what it is that makes A Star Is Born such an extraordinary film – it is heartbreaking and will certainly leave the viewer weeping because there are moments of unequivocal sadness scattered throughout. However, A Star Is Born is also a hopelessly optimistic film, a celebratory ode to the complexities that make us human. It looks at the inevitable encounters with failure that come with the pursuit of success and the difficult challenges that may seem insurmountable, but with the right mindset and determination, anything is possible. Deeply sad but incredibly uplifting, A Star Is Born is a gorgeously melancholy affair and one that is wholly unforgettable.

Told through an unembellished but emotionally-sonorous story that will surely resonate with most people, and some exceptional music (highlights include the songs “Shallow”, “I’ll Never Love Again” and “Always Remember Us This Way”), A Star Is Born is a masterpiece. I still need to process a great deal of this film, and I am certain I have said only a minute fraction of what I am feeling towards this film, but I really don’t think calling this one of the year’s best films is too much of a far-fetched idea. A Star Is Born is a heartfelt film that wears its heart on its sleeve, and it manages to be an astonishing achievement of modern filmmaking, a simple but graceful drama that intends to resonate with audiences through its delicate simplicity. By no means a perfect film, it is an amazing debut for the director and a turning point in the careers of many people involved. I just can’t get this film off my mind, and there are so many moments that I just can’t forget – and I’m in absolutely no rush to do so. This film means a lot to me, and its beauty is indescribable. If this isn’t what cinema is supposed to be – raw, moving, emotional and powerfully human – then nothing is.