I had watched the first two movies by this title and skipped the third, so this was one of my last priorities among Best Picture nominees for the year. At my harshest, I declared that a re-re-remake shouldn't even exist. But the United menu was running low on promising options I hadn't seen.
Ally (Lady Gaga) is an up-and-coming singer and songwriter. Her career gets a boost from established country rock star Jack Maine (Bradley Cooper). The two eventually marry, but it's a rocky marriage as Jack's success flounders amid alcoholism and he grows jealous of his own wife. Other notable actors include Sam Elliott as Jack's brother and manager, Dave Chapelle as Jack's friend, and Andrew Dice Clay as Ally's father.
I'm pretty sure the makers took more cues from the 1976 version than from the rest. The main characters are no longer actors, attending the Grammies rather than the Oscars. Ally even says she's gotten grief for her big nose, which would be more in keeping with Barbra Streisand than with Janet Gaynor or Judy Garland. This makes the story slightly less familiar to me, but I still found it unsurprising if not predictable.
That's not a patch on the production values. I have to say I've never found Gaga more attractive, not because I've never seen more of her naked but because I've never found her more organically human. She's either a fine actress or a natural for the part. (Hey, the tale keeps getting retold because almost every star relates.) Cooper is also convincing, along with their unstable chemistry.
The music? Not very Gaga-ish, and that's fine by me. I don't remember it well, but I think it enhanced the viewing.
I can see how this version of ASIB would be many people's favorite. It might even be my own on balance, tho earlier ones have the advantage of not being R-rated. It's not a must-see, but I generally recommend it.
No comments:
Post a Comment