It’s the classic Hollywood love story – famous man meets aspiring woman, they fall in love, and her career takes off as his goes downhill. The vague outline of A Star Is Born is just broad enough to easily slot into any time period or culture, indicating some sort of universal identification with the story that compels us to keep returning to it. In fact this is the fifth time we have seen it done on the big screen, the other times being in 1937, 1954, 1976, and Bollywood’s 2013 remake Aashiqui 2. But this time, Bradley Cooper’s spin on it delves into the country and pop music industries, and asks how it’s possible to stay relevant in an age of disposability.

Cooper’s passion for this project bleeds through every moment of his performance and direction. Everything in his portrayal of Jackson Maine embodies the shabby, drug-fuelled persona of the typical aged country star, living from one hazy concert to the next with barely a moment to sleep. His slip into self-loathing manifests through a series of embarrassing public accidents and private moments of failing to come through in his relationship with Ally. Cooper plays into the “jerk with a heart of gold” trope here, but at times he simply comes off as just being a jerk with his own interests at heart. As a result it can be difficult to buy into the chemistry between Jackson and Ally, despite both actors delivering performances that are otherwise thoughtful and nuanced.

Matthew Libatique’s cinematography is reminiscent of the live concert recordings of folk musicians – handheld cameras, shallow focus, close-ups, and hazy, vibrant lighting come together to create a dreamlike atmosphere where raw, mutual attraction seems like the only thing that matters. But like those nights of adrenaline and elation spent at music festivals and parties, these things don’t last. The real world gradually seeps in and drags us down from our high, and we can do nothing but watch Jackson and Ally fight against the detrimental effects of drug addiction, celebrity gossip, and the pressure to compromise their public and self-image.

Ally’s rise and Jackson’s fall are intertwined, both pulling each other in opposite directions. But even though Jackson’s failures constantly override Ally’s successes she barely flinches from their commitment, further propelling his destructive self-loathing and guilt. This all culminates in his tragic suicide, and Ally’s commemoration of him in her new career direction.

While moving, this ending struggles to reconcile the themes that the film plays with – specifically what constitutes “real” music, if selling out can be justified, and the simple dichotomy of pop vs country. Sometimes it seems to side with Jackson’s disdain for the shallowness of contemporary music, while at other times Ally is in the right for taking advantage of every opportunity that comes her way. There is also an argument for poptimism, a belief that pop music is as deserving of professional critique as more refined forms of music, but even this is undercut in other parts in the screenplay. A Star Is Born doesn’t end up settling on any one conclusive point, prioritising emotional impact over thematic resolution.

Oscars 2019 Countdown: Vice

Bradley Cooper’s Best Director snub was surprising, but A Star Is Born more than makes up for it in its other nominated categories. There is no surprise that the film’s music has gone down so well, with its single “Shallow” being the frontrunner for Best Original Song. Aside from its awards for music and sound, the rest of the movie has been pretty unrecognised this awards season, claiming a lot of nominations but not many wins. While this could be an unfortunate indication of its chances at the Oscars, its dedicated fanbase and roots in Hollywood history could give it that extra push it needs to pick up a few extra awards here and there.