Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper dazzle.

Full disclosure – I’ve never really liked musicals. Or at least, the old me didn’t. It’s complicated.

Unfairly or not, the musical has become much maligned among many and I’ll be the first to admit I’ve often dismissed the entire genre off-hand, without much consideration to what joys it can offer. However, while I still struggle to get my head around the appeal of jukebox musicals like Mama Mia, I have since seen the light.

While the musical had seemingly lost its voice not too long ago, its recent rise to prominence has come off the back of some of the finest films of the last few years, such as the Oscar-winning La La Land and the criminally underrated Sing Street. These aren’t just great musicals, they’re simply great movies. And as if to highlight just how fertile the musical landscape is right now (and how wrong I once was to write off the entire genre), along comes A Star Is Born.

Not so long ago, the idea a musical starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga (aka Stefani Germanotta) would’ve sounded like a car crash waiting to happen and the worst example of what the genre could offer, yet nothing could be further from the truth.

Battered, bruised, and world-weary; the life of seasoned rock star Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) is spent looking through the bottom of a whiskey bottle, until a chance encounter with struggling singer Ally (Stefani Germanotta) turns things on their head. Having long since given up on her dreams of stardom, Ally is reluctantly coaxed into the spotlight by Jackson as they embark on a whirlwind romance and a fruitful musical partnership. Yet, just as Ally’s career takes off, Jackson’s demons catch up with him, sending their relationship and his own career into a downward spiral.

Now on its fourth iteration, A Star Is Born’s tale has become something of a legacy, passed down from generation to generation. The simplicity of the story is such that it transcends time and taste to become infinitely adaptable, no matter the year or cultural backdrop. However, this transcendence doesn’t necessarily guarantee success, so while the first couple of versions (from 1937 and 1954) were critically lauded, the Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson-starring 1976 remake was met with far less positivity at the time (despite a healthy box office return).

With such a simple story there’s very little room to hide for the film’s stars, as the ultimate success of A Star Is Born rests squarely on their shoulders, yet the pressure never shows. Hinging massively on the chemistry and believability of Gaga and Cooper as a couple, the pair not only step up to the plate, they actively embrace it, turning in a truly classic Hollywood romance while making the well-worn material feel fresh and entirely their own.

It’s astonishing and quite frankly unfair how good Gaga and Cooper are as a couple, with every moment of their time on screen together feeling honest, natural, and entirely credible. Although there are periphery figures throughout the film, including a typically smooth-toned turn from Sam Elliot and a nice extended cameo from Dave Chappelle, this is every inch the Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga show and they make damn sure we know it.

The chemistry on display just can’t be faked and like any successful big screen romance, we almost immediately buy into their relationship, regardless of how inherently mawkish and unashamedly Hollywood it is. As it stands though, we give over entirely to Jackson and Ally’s often fraught relationship like we’ve known them for years, thanks largely to how natural and deeply personable the performances are.

Quite obviously born to be a performer, it’s little surprise that Lady Gaga owns the stage whenever she’s on it, delivering the film’s big numbers without breaking sweat, yet what makes it all so astounding is just how accomplished her acting chops are. Largely stripped of her Gaga makeup and all-encompassing persona, Stefani Germanotta drops the veil and bares all in a performance that’s as natural and sweetly honest as it is commanding.

While she’s briefly dabbled in the movie game before and played a prominent part in anthology series American Horror Story, A Star Is Born represents by far her biggest role to date and judging by her remarkably assured performance here, this certainly won’t be her last. Even as the timid, world-weary character we first meet gradually gives way to something approaching her flamboyant real-life personality, Gaga is able to balance showmanship with humility like a seasoned pro. Remember that time when every pop star under the sun would try their hand at acting with predictably terrible results? This isn’t that.

Conversely, Bradley Cooper’s ability to pull off the hard drinking train wreck role so astutely should come as no surprise to those who’ve seen just what he’s capable of when on his game, yet the way he’s able to command a stage like a natural born star, with the gravel-gargling vocals and rock god mannerisms to boot, is nothing short of astonishing.

He’s certainly come a long way from the arrogant pretty boy of Wedding Crashers and The Hangover fame and while Lady Gaga strips away her usual popstar façade to lay herself bare, Cooper dives deep behind a grizzled beard, blotchy skin, and southern drawl to disappear into character. It’s a physical, low-down-and-dirty performance that’s both undeniably charming and painfully vulnerable, as he refuses to shy away from the unrelenting darkness at Jackson’s core.

And as if all of that wasn’t already enough, Bradley Cooper has only gone and directed the whole shebang too. If recent interviews are anything to go by, it’s clear the man has held a burning desire to step behind the camera for quite some time, yet no one could’ve expected a directorial debut this assured.

Cooper’s handling of the story is well done, with nice twists and modern flourishes that just about tiptoe around the film’s narrative pratfalls. However, it’s in his shooting style and visual flair that the director really delivers, with his unflinching, handheld camerawork allowing for a deeply personal atmosphere and ensuring that the interactions between the two leads feels natural and personable, both onstage and off it.

The conversational, often rambling style feels distinctively indie in its execution and a world away from the gloss normally associated with this brand of cinema. Some of the performances have a slightly sleeker, music video vibe to them that jars when bookended by more down-to-earth scenes, yet thankfully these moments are rare as Cooper ensures that many of the musical numbers feel as authentic and atmospheric as possible.

From the main stage at Coachella to the SNL studio to the more intimate surroundings of a late night drag club, each performance is pitch-perfect and delivered in just the right way to fit its surroundings. Cooper manages to capture the thrill of the gig impeccably, as the camera switches perspective from the crowd to the stage and back again to suit the mood. The result is a wholly immersive experience as the camera places you right up there with the stars, making the impact of key moments like Ally’s first duet with Jackson all the more exhilarating.

A Star Is Born’s structure is bitty and scattergun throughout, as it flicks through the pages of Ally and Jackson’s personal and professional relationship almost at random. While this freewheeling narrative style occasionally rambles, Cooper’s choice to drop us into pockets of the couple’s life without the need to linger or overegg the situation feels rather liberating, marking the film apart from the crowd and placing it nearer to the beautifully low-key Once than your standard popstar musical fare. Glitter this ain’t.

Aside from pacing issues with the second act that briefly stall the film’s rhythm, Cooper’s ability to tell a rather corny story coherently and with genuine heart is astonishing, as we’re slowly drip fed little character developments like we’re passing by a couple of rock stars chatting in a bar. This reluctance to force the issue is a brave move considering the broad sensibilities of the material but it’s absolutely the right one to make and the result is all the more satisfying for it.

It’s also an important move to make in order to paper over the cracks in a story that we’ve (quite literally) seen many times before. Reminiscent of many other romantic dramas, the story feels far too safe at times and it’s really only this that holds A Star Is Born back from true greatness. As it is, however, it’s a perfectly serviceable plot that does what it has to do, working well as a broad, old-fashioned Hollywood tale that lays the foundation for its stars and will no doubt hit a chord with a wide audience.

And then we have the songs. As one might expect, a film such as this would be nothing without the tunes to back itself up and thankfully A Star Is Born delivers. Although not all the tracks connect, the vast majority do and it’s thanks to the admirable variety of songs available that the soundtrack never gets boring.

You’ve got the inevitable belters like lead single ‘Shallow’, which drips with melancholy before building to an enormous, fist-pumping chorus, as well as unashamed Gaga numbers like the heartrending closer ‘I’ll Never Love Again’, yet they’re balanced well with riff-heavy rock tracks like ‘Black Eyes’ and an awe-inspiring rendition of ‘La Vie En Rose’. They don’t all pop, but when they do, they’re impossible to resist.

It comes as a no surprise that Lady Gaga takes to the songs like a duck to water, commanding the screen not with her usual theatrics, but purely through her voice alone, yet it’s Cooper that comes out of nowhere to light up the stage. For someone with no previous indication of musical aptitude, it’s a tribute to Cooper’s hard work and dedication that he not only passes for a singer and a rock star, he absolutely is one.

Like the similarly themed La La Land, A Star Is Born is a Hollywood throwback in the best possible sense. While it could easily be considered a cynical nostalgia piece, as with La La Land, the clear passion, artistry, and commitment of everyone involved is what wins the day. It also helps that Bradley Cooper has served it all up as a thoroughly uplifting slice of old Hollywood fun that, while it certainly has its dark moments as Jackson’s life slowly circles the drain, it’s a thoroughly life-affirming experience as a whole.

Even for the biggest musical sceptics among us, it’s almost impossible to deny A Star Is Born’s charms. Like any romantic musical, the film’s success rides high on the chemistry of its leads, yet the moment Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga/Stefani Germanotta step on stage to rip through a collection of songs that feel both organic and positively vital, all bets are off. Thanks to the couple’s effortless harmony and assured, natural performance, together with Bradley Cooper’s keen eye for direction and visual storytelling, A Star Is Born overcomes the familiarity of its well-worn plot to hit just the right chord.