The story arc for the movie “A Star Is Born” seemed familiar. An unknown, talented singer meets a hugely successful artist and they fall in love. But this movie definitely took me by surprise. It was so much more than just that basic tale.

The movie was released on Friday, Oct. 5, and it stars Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. This rendition of the movie tells the story of Ally (Gaga), an aspiring singer who feels trapped by what she sees as her lack of beauty. Cooper plays Jackson Maine, a famous country-rock singer on a downward spiral of drugs and alcohol.

By chance, Jackson sees Ally perform at a drag bar and is entranced by Ally’s singing. They meet, and Jackson realizes that Ally is a very talented songwriter and singer, and Ally realizes that Jackson’s life is actually nowhere near as perfect as it seems. They both form an initial friendship and soon after, Jackson invites her to one of his concerts. Ally attends, and when Jackson invites her onstage to sing one of her original songs, “Shallow”, it launches her career into stardom.

As Ally becomes more and more famous, Ally and Jackson fall in love and get married. At the same time, Jackson’s attempts at sobriety go up and down, causing and creating a tumultuous relationship.

There were many surprising elements, with one huge twist at the end. The plot hooked me from the start and kept me engaged until the credits rolled on the screen.

I thought this movie was very well casted. One might think that a singer might not be a great actress. But when it comes to Lady Gaga, people are wrong.

Gaga is both a powerful singer and actress whose stripped-down appearance drew a stark contrast to the eccentric outfits and bright makeup that she typically wears. She excels at conveying Ally’s thoughts and feelings, especially in one scene where Jackson and Ally are fighting in the bathroom.

While she performs very well throughout the movie, her best performances were captured when she was singing. Through her powerful, explosive voice, the character’s emotions truly resonate with the audiences. When she has a solo in “Shallow,” I felt both her pain and her strength.

As for Cooper’s performance, I believe that he didn’t outshine Gaga. However, Cooper did a great job portraying a sad man whose life was circling the drain. Cooper once again proves himself to be a chameleon, taking on whatever role he is cast in with ease.

Cooper also made his directorial debut with the movie, and I thought that he did a phenomenal job for a first time director. The movie was beautifully shot and put together. Although this movie is a remake, to me it felt like an entirely new storyline and adaptation. I was also surprised by how good of a singer he was, as well. Cooper took voice lessons for a long time to prepare for this role, and they certainly paid off. I thought that he could easily become a real music artist if he wanted to.

Overall, “A Star Is Born” is a beautiful story of fame, love, addiction and rock and roll. The movie paints what seems like a very real picture of what happens behind the scenes in Hollywood. It was a movie that made me laugh, cry and be happy to live life. I absolutely loved this movie and I think it will be in the running for an Oscar.