A Star Is Born

Director: Bradley Cooper
Year Released: 2018
Rating: 2.0

Gin-soaked musical superstar Jack (Cooper), by chance (or fate?), hears waitress Ally (Stefani Germanotta) sing in a gay bar and she becomes his muse (and wife), but his drinking problems (and hearing problems ... and family problems) are ruining his own very successful career. Most filmgoers have already seen this story before (multiple times, actually), and first-time director Cooper doesn't do much with the tragedy - it's light on dramatic intensity, and when it needs for them to have a big fight Jack drinks too much and says things he shouldn't or pisses himself in front of a live audience after falling down a lot. The whole "troubled rockstar" thing is such an exhausted idea: I'm personally more interested in those jamming into their 70's like Willie Nelson, the Rolling Stones, Paul, Mr. Dylan, etc. My sole lingering question while sitting through this (unnecessary) vehicle for The Fame Monster was whether or not it's Cooper's way to troll the Academy Awards and net Gaga an Oscar.