By: Jade Edwards

If you have been looking for a movie to curl up under a blanket with a bowl of popcorn and some chocolate for, A Star is Born should be at the top of your list.  Directed by Bradley Cooper, who also plays a main role, and starring Lady Gaga, this movie gives hope to dreamers and contains the perfect amount of romance and tears.

Gaga plays the part of a woman named Ally who has a beautiful voice but does not think that she has the looks to make something of herself.  She’s a server at a drag bar, and she occasionally sings during the shows, but never her own songs. Her confidence is just too low about herself to try to pursue a career singing, until celebrity Jackson Maine (played by Cooper) strolls into the bar after performing and a lot of drinking. He watches her perform, and he is the first to find her truly beautiful and tell her so.  He quickly becomes intrigued by Ally, which soon leads to their relationship. She sings him the songs she has written, and he cannot get enough of her voice.

For his next tour performance, he invites her to sing with him on stage.  This is the spark that leads to the flame of Ally’s career in singing. While her career continues to grow, Jackson has an inner demon that he is trying to fight.  He is an alcoholic, a drug addict, and he is going deaf in his right ear which will end up affecting his ability to sing very soon. Ally supports him, but she can only do so much when she is so busy performing and going on talk shows and getting ahead.  His addictions and state of mind just continue to plummet, and Ally wonders if he will ever truly find himself still in love with her when he’s sober.

As I said before, this movie has sad moments, so you may want to add a box of tissues to your blanket-and-popcorn set-up.  Also, maybe watch this movie with friends or family so that you have people to hug, love, and be grateful for at the end. A Star is Born has many pieces to it that are very relatable to certain audiences, especially people with alcoholics in their lives or people with dreams that ended up coming true or people who find love in the strangest places.  As a person who has an alcoholic in my family, I was able to appreciate this movie for its truth. Also, even though it’s is a far-fetched idea that someone could fall in love with a celebrity and become a celebrity themselves, this movie has a “this is possible” feel.  It also teaches people how to cope with grief or hardship. More than that, it shows people that empathy and understanding someone else’s problems may just save a life.

There are also some soulful songs you may want to download afterward, including “Shallow” sung by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.  Who knew he could sing AND look hot? This movie is no longer in theaters. It is available on DVD or just rent it from a Redbox near you.  I fully recommend watching this spectacular movie.