“Directed by Bradley Cooper”—not a credit that inspires confidence. Whether he’s playing America’s Best Sniper, America’s Best Chef or a supporting character in a “Hangover” sequel, never have I said to myself “hey, when can we get this guy behind the camera?” Not to rip on Cooper too much, but never have I detected the presence of a rich, creative force hiding just under the surface of this unspeakably handsome actor.
But here we are, witnessing Bradley Cooper’s directorial turn with “A Star is Born.” And to be totally fair, it’s not like Cooper does a bad job. His smartest choice turns out to be his co-star: Lady Gaga turns in a seriously spectacular performance in her big screen debut (give or take a “Sin City” sequel). There’s a lot to like in this fourth iteration of “A Star is Born”—the first I’ve seen—even if I wasn’t particularly moved.
Set in an alternate universe where country/rock stars still draw enormous crowds and the Grammys are a relevant cultural institution, we meet Jackson Maine (Cooper), an alcoholic singer/songwriter who has seen better days. He’s also facing the loss of his hearing, and if you’re looking for a similar subplot, check out Tessa Thompson’s character in “Creed.” Anyway, one day Jackson meets Ally (Gaga), an undiscovered singer; Jackson quickly realizes her talent is only matched by her complete disillusionment with the music industry. The first act of “A Star is Born” is usually pretty riveting, as Jackson coaxes Ally out of her shell and onto the stage with him.
It’s also in this first act where we get “Shallow,” the pre-release single from the soundtrack—which I’ll admit, I’ve had on repeat for the past two weeks. “Shallow” is great, and watching Gaga perform it for the “first” time produces an unforgettable scene. But then Cooper and Gaga leave the stage, and there’s still an hour-and-a-half left of movie.
At least Gaga is magnetic throughout. Watching Ally claw her way up into a solo career is constantly captivating, and Gaga is sympathetic every second she’s on screen. She’s raw and real, armed with an unmistakable stage presence. I just wish I could say the same about Cooper, who’s gone full grumble-voiced Jeff Bridges. In stark contrast with Gaga’s clear understanding of Ally’s psychology, Cooper’s Jackson is muddled beneath a bad beard/haircut and some tacked-on daddy drama. Again, Cooper’s not a bad actor (see “Silver Linings Playbook”), but there’s not much substance to be found in his performance here.
From a technical standpoint, I’m also not a big fan of “A Star is Born.” Working with cinematographer Matthew Libatique (who, it turns out, also shot “Venom”), Cooper fails to produce many memorable images. His instinct seems to be contrasting long stretches of shaky, handheld camera movement with a stark, standstill shot that’s actually got some composition. There’s something to be said for the attempt to put the viewer in Jackson’s alcoholic perspective with these woozy takes but “Sharp Objects” this is not.
But apart from my technical issues, the real problem is that “A Star is Born” is just so empty. When the credits rolled, I kept asking myself what Cooper and his screenwriters were trying to say about the nature of fame or addiction, and I couldn’t come up with any kind of meaningful answer. As much as we’re supposed to see “stardom” as a corrosive and harmful position, Gaga gets equal screen-time living her dream in a way that’s always framed positively.
Perhaps the intention was to avoid subtext entirely and depict a romance between two tried-and-true archetypes. But two problems arise: First, Cooper doesn’t find anything more than an archetype in Jackson Maine. But worse, it always feels like “A Star is Born” is trying to make some kind of statement about celebrity, and coming up empty. You can’t have Dave Chappelle—Dave Chappelle! One of the most famous people to renounce their celebrity status!—show up and give a pep talk about the spotlight without some desire to say something about fame.
There’s a moment at least an hour into the indulgent runtime of “A Star is Born”—when Cooper lectures Gaga on the virtues of using your platform as a celebrity to speak truth and say something that matters. All you can do is wish the director of “A Star is Born” had taken the same message to heart.
