A Star Is Born Review: 7 Ups & 2 Downs

Ups...

7. Bradley Cooper & Lady Gaga's Oscar-Worthy Performances

Early next year, Lady Gaga might well be an Oscar winner, and that's no joke. Her performance as Ally transcends her obvious label as a singer-turned-actress, giving an expectedly soulful, heartfelt series of musical renditions, but also delivering the dramatic goods just as passionately.

It's a crowd-pleasing performance that's likely to make her a Best Actress front-runner, and given her appeal worldwide, it wouldn't be remotely surprising if she won the award outright.

Though she's sure to win the lion's share of the critical praise, Bradley Cooper meanwhile delivers his best performance to date here, digging deep into a self-destructive artist while mostly skirting around typical substance abuse cliches. If his previous Oscar nominations felt a little soft, his inevitable nomination here feels incredibly well-earned.

Together, the pair's chemistry is the primary reason the movie works as well as it does despite the evident familiarity of the material.