Sightlines · reception
How A Star Is Born was received
2018 · Bradley Cooper · A Star Is Born on Sightlines
The arc
It premiered at Venice 2018 to a rapturous reception and spent the fall as the presumed Best Picture frontrunner — then went one-for-eight on Oscar night, winning only Best Original Song for 'Shallow.' The awards deflation barely dented it: it settled almost immediately into beloved-modern-melodrama status.
What’s debated
The eternal fight is over 'Why Did You Do That?' (the 'butt song') and whether the film is being knowingly rockist — is Ally's pop turn supposed to be bad, or does the movie genuinely sneer at pop music?
Its footprint
Gaga's press-tour mantra — 'there can be 100 people in a room and 99 don't believe in you' — repeated nearly verbatim across dozens of interviews, became one of 2018's defining memes, alongside Cooper's guttural 'HAAAH-AH-AH' wail in 'Shallow' and the smoldering Oscars duet that convinced half the internet they were in love. 'I just wanted to take another look at you' is instantly quotable shorthand.
Where it stands
The fourth telling of Hollywood's most-remade myth is now the version a whole generation cites first — a Letterboxd staple whose review section is a running competition of jokes and sincere devastation.
Did you know? Cooper shot the Glastonbury festival scenes on the actual Pyramid Stage in 2017 — Kris Kristofferson, star of the 1976 A Star Is Born, gave up minutes of his own set time so they could film in front of the real crowd.
Named by the director
- Clint Eastwood — Cooper repeatedly credited Eastwood — originally attached to direct this film — with shaping his directing approach, having studied his lean, quiet set style while shooting American Sniper.