A musician named Jackson Maine helps a young singer and actress named Ally find fame, and they fall in love as their careers spiral towards different directions.

A Star Is Born shows that incredible passion both in front of and behind the camera can pay off wonderfully — and that an old story told well today can still stick with viewers. Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut is a stunningly told story of love, fame, pain, addiction, talent, and dreams. Cooper directs every scene with lots of energy and his editing and direction pay off to elevate the engagement and payoff of many scenes. His performance as Jackson Maine works on so many levels — Maine is a man you hate but love at the same time — he’s charming and caring but also has problems of his own that he deals with selfishly. Cooper dedicates himself to the role and has plenty of emotion that will move you to the core — and he can also sing very well. The complexity and might he brings to the screen makes his role worthy of an Oscar come awards season. And then there’s Lady Gaga — we already knew she has talent when it comes to her singing voice, but I could never tell that she wasn’t a professional actress and that this is her first major film role — she blends in with the other acting talents perfectly and stands out in her every scene. Gaga is remarkable as a woman who finds her voice and pursues her dream, and her range of emotion and presence are striking. I expect a Best Actress nomination for her as well. The chemistry between the two as well as their performances elevate the film and make it so interesting for the viewer — it wouldn’t have been the same without the dedication these actors put into their roles.

Also worth watching out for is the music — “Shallow” is a new original classic that I know will become more popular once more people see the film and Cooper and Gaga perform it ecstatically in one of the most memorable scenes in the film. Even though the overall story structure isn’t anything brilliant, and it’s the fourth remake of a film from the ’30s, the execution and delivery of the story is still made so effective for the audience and will resonate with you after the credits role. Some scenes will make you laugh, smile, or even cry, and the emotional connection to the audience is built so well that the ending will crush your heart if you’ve been engaged for the rest of the movie. A Star Is Born will definitely stick with viewers until the Oscars come around, where I’d say it has a really good chance, especially for its marvelous leading performances that deserve to win and the acting alone earns makes the film a recommended watch. Aside from that, there’s excellent directing and music, and Bradley Cooper has found himself an excellent voice in front of and behind the camera, as well as on stage, in an achievement for his career.