Becoming a star is a rough and emotional path, and a new movie that came out describes it perfectly. The newest adaptation of A Star Is Born came out on Oct. 5th, 2018.

This movie followed the come up of Ally, who is a struggling musician. She was discovered by a semi-famous country singer named Jackson, who has an alcohol problem and is basically going deaf. The plot of the movie shows how Ally grows from a shy girl who only sings at a drag bar to one of the biggest new pop stars. It also shows what addiction does to Jackson and his relationship with Ally. This movie starts off with Ally working as a waitress and part-time singer. Jackson sees Ally performing and asks her to come to his event the following day. She comes to it and ends up performing on-stage with him. From then on, it shows Ally’s coming up and Jackson‘s downfall.

A Star Is Born has had various versions made in 1937, 1954, 1976, and now, 2018. Each movie represents the music that was popular in that decade. All of the stories are similar with different types of music. I think it’s fascinating that they’ve remade this story over the years, and I also think it is a story that needs to be told. Jackson struggles with mental health issues that contribute to his alcohol and drug addiction, which is a problem that many people face today. It relates to today because we have lost so many talented musicians to drugs and alcohol. It is honestly something that needs to be talked about more in society. People who are struggling with addiction can get the help they need, but some of them have trouble reaching out for it. We need to be educated in knowing the signs, so we can all prevent more deaths due to addiction.

This story is also very captivating because it tells about the coming up of celebrities and how they get to the A-list of fame. I’ve always wondered how people get so well-known in the music industry. Honestly, musicians work very hard to get to the top. Like in the movie, some stars were discovered by other celebrities that jump start their careers. Still, they have to release albums and somehow get people to listen to them. The process into stardom was a very captivating element in this story, and I think it kept people’s interests throughout the whole movie.

A Star Is Born also used many different set elements that were fascinating. It took you from a rugged house that Ally and Jackson lived in to the real stage at Saturday Night Live.The people who made the sets did an amazing job of differentiating between the lifestyles of a normal person and a celebrity. According to an Entertainment Weekly article, this movie filmed at Coachella, Stagecoach, and Glastonbury, which are all very popular music festivals. Using real crowds from festivals and even the actual Saturday Night Live stage was genius. I think using recognizable places is a good way to connect to the audience, and they did just that.

I also really loved the soundtrack of this movie. Both Lady Gaga (Ally) and Bradley Cooper (Jackson) sang beautifully in each song they recorded. The songs were partially written by the two of them as well. Shallow, the first song that Cooper and Gaga sing together, is the best song on the soundtrack, in my opinion. Gaga’s explosive voice sounds completely flawless. Also, this song is the one that gives Ally the confidence to take steps in becoming a musician. The music blended beautifully with the storyline. The week the movie came out, the soundtrack was number one on the iTunes album charts, and it’s songs took up the top four on the songs charts. People connected with the songs, and I think that’s super important in a movie that centers around music.

Again, I believe this story is very powerful. Stardom is a difficult life that can lead to addiction from mental health issues. We need to do better as a whole to help people struggling with addiction. A Star Is Born showed the path to stardom and the difficulties that come with it. Set and music choices made the story riveting. The entire plot kept me very interested the whole time. Also, Cooper and Gaga deliver emotional performances that are sure to have you in tears. A Star Is Born is a must see.