A Star Is Born Review: 7 Ups & 2 Downs

1. It Feels A Bit Rushed

A Star is Born is not a short movie by any stretch, clocking in at 135 minutes, but there are certainly moments that feel a little too rushed given their storytelling importance.

After a methodical and engrossing first act that brings shy singer Ally and alcoholic rock star Jackson Maine (Cooper) together, act two quickly rushes through Ally's rise to stardom, and it feels like some of the key beats were basically glossed over.

This was most likely an editorial decision to keep the movie from feeling too bloated, especially as we've all seen these rise-to-fame stories countless times before, but even so, it all just feels a little too easy, and the passage of time is too breathless for its own good.

So, some fairly minor quibbles in the grand scheme of things, then. On the other hand, here's everything the film gets right...