Lady Gaga wasn't the first pop star considered for A Star Is Born, and Bradley Cooper wasn't the first actor. Let's look back at what could have been a very different film.
At a top secret research facility in the 1960s, a lonely janitor forms a unique relationship with an amphibious creature that is being held in captivity.
Director:
Guillermo del Toro
Stars:
Sally Hawkins,
Octavia Spencer,
Michael Shannon
After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own.
Director:
David O. Russell
Stars:
Bradley Cooper,
Jennifer Lawrence,
Robert De Niro
A poor yet passionate young man falls in love with a rich young woman, giving her a sense of freedom, but they are soon separated because of their social differences.
Director:
Nick Cassavetes
Stars:
Gena Rowlands,
James Garner,
Rachel McAdams
A working-class Italian-American bouncer becomes the driver of an African-American classical pianist on a tour of venues through the 1960s American South.
Director:
Peter Farrelly
Stars:
Viggo Mortensen,
Mahershala Ali,
Linda Cardellini
Seasoned musician Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) discovers-and falls in love with-struggling artist Ally (Gaga). She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer - until Jack coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally's career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jack fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons.Written by
Warner Bros.
When Jack backs out of the garage, you see the license plate on his car reads "2SAM564." Like GAT and FAN, SAM is a three-letter combination that is not used by the California Department of Motor Vehicles, so prop departments can use those combinations on license plates without fear that they will duplicate and cause confusion with a license plate already in use. "SAM" on other states' prop license plates is short for "sample." An internet search will show that 2SAM564 has been in television shows and other movies, including on Nicolas Cage's car in Matchstick Men (2003). See more »
Goofs
When Ally performs at the I Heart Radio showcase, this is the first time she's performed this song in front of an audience. But when she reaches the chorus for the first time, two women in the front row to Ally's left are singing along, most noticeably a woman in a red halter top. See more »
Quotes
Ally:
I started writing this song the other day. Maybe that could work, like as a chorus or something.
[She gets up in front of Jackson and starts singing]
Ally:
I'm off the deep end. Watch as I dive in. I never the meet the ground. Crash through the surface, where they can't hurt us. We're far from the shallow now.
See more »
Crazy Credits
The first couple of seconds of the Warner Bros Pictures logo are cut out. See more »
Alternate Versions
An extended version of the film, dubbed the "Encore Edition" with an additional 12 minutes of new footage, was released on March 1, 2019 for a limited one-week engagement. The material consists of longer takes of musical numbers, as well as a brand-new, never-before-seen song "Clover", by Ally and Jackson. See more »
Let me start by saying that the performances are solid. Not mind blowing but solid. For her first film, Lady Gaga did very well but I can't say she blew my mind...but hey it's her first film and I like her, so good for her. That being said, the film seems to be getting WAY overblown by people. The first act is really great and the chemistry between Gaga and Cooper is phenomenal but after that it sort of devolves into a melodrama. The character development of Cooper's character is lacking. He is an alcoholic and we certainly see him drunk many times but I didn't see enough struggle to justify his character arc not was Cooper's performance powerful enough to convey the devastating agony of addiction. The film then goes through a few cliches as we see Gaga's character ascend to fame but again, we also don't see enough struggle from her character either. In all, the character conflicts are addressed but the film never fully dives into them in the way it certainly could have. I loved the first song of the film but the rest of the music was surprisingly bland and didn't captivate me at all. Lady Gaga obviously has an incredible voice and Cooper held his own surprisingly. Overall it was a good film, not great, just good.
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Let me start by saying that the performances are solid. Not mind blowing but solid. For her first film, Lady Gaga did very well but I can't say she blew my mind...but hey it's her first film and I like her, so good for her. That being said, the film seems to be getting WAY overblown by people. The first act is really great and the chemistry between Gaga and Cooper is phenomenal but after that it sort of devolves into a melodrama. The character development of Cooper's character is lacking. He is an alcoholic and we certainly see him drunk many times but I didn't see enough struggle to justify his character arc not was Cooper's performance powerful enough to convey the devastating agony of addiction. The film then goes through a few cliches as we see Gaga's character ascend to fame but again, we also don't see enough struggle from her character either. In all, the character conflicts are addressed but the film never fully dives into them in the way it certainly could have. I loved the first song of the film but the rest of the music was surprisingly bland and didn't captivate me at all. Lady Gaga obviously has an incredible voice and Cooper held his own surprisingly. Overall it was a good film, not great, just good.