‘A Star is Born’ stays true to original despite updates

Lady+Gaga+attends+the+movie+premiere+of+A+Star+is+Born%2C+in+which+she+plays+hopeful+singer+Ally.

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Lady Gaga attends the movie premiere of “A Star is Born”, in which she plays hopeful singer Ally.

Sam Skolnick

A drunken rockstar meets a small town girl with big dreams and music brings them together. You could summarize “A Star is Born” in this one sentence, but it is so much more than that.

Sometimes, a remake does not meet the standard of the original. The characters are different, the setting has changed and the updated plot is flat-out wrong.

But this is not the case for “A Star is Born.” The characters give a modern twist to the story. The setting helps you understand where both main characters come from and their outlooks on life. The plot, although updated, still has the same flair.

Although I don’t usually care for dramatic romance movies, this one has something for just about everyone. I knew I wanted to watch this film after hearing the amazing soundtrack, filled with heart-pumping and spine-chilling music. The way you hurt with the characters, laugh with them and feel with them were just some of the ways in which this movie exceeded my expectations.

In the remake of the 1976 original, Lady Gaga plays Ally, a woman who has big dreams of singing, but is denied them because of her looks. While confident, Ally still struggles with bouts of insecurity.  Out of the blue, with a few random choices such as breaking up with her boyfriend, listening to her friend and coming to work late, she meets Jackson Mane, a rock star dealing with drug and alcohol addictions, while singing at open mic night. They fall in love over the course of a wild ride including motorcycle cross-country road trips, quarrels about fame and rehab. Jackson helps Ally live her dream, but Ally loses sight of who she is. At the same time, Jackson feels guilty of embarrassing Ally with his drinking.

This is a cautionary tale of what happens when you do not stay true to yourself, and let money, fame and drugs take over your life. I highly recommend this film to anyone who loves romance, is ready for a good tearjerker or enjoys music.