A Star is Born in All of Us

*No spoilers included*

Remaking classic films is not new to Hollywood, and Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut featuring himself and Lady Gaga is no different. Since 1937, this film has been remade three separate times. Some critics claim this is because Hollywood is running out of ideas, and Christopher Booker’s 2004 novel The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories furthers the non-uniqueness of the stories and the recycling of plots in all from literature to movies. Before watching A Star is Born, I would have agreed that this remake was unnecessary and just another jackpot way for Hollywood executives to cash in a “sure-thing” check. After several tears shed and repeats of the amazing original album, for which the film won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song, that accompanies the movie, I realized that this generation relates to this tale more than ever before.

It bears some semblance to our own minds and inner-workings. We are scared. Insecure. Alone. Moreover, we want to be seen for who we truly are. In this digital age, everything is paraded on display, and yet we find ourselves feeling masked behind an artificial image. In a world with over 7 billion people roaming around, sometimes, all it takes is just one person to make you believe in your own success. Gaga has stated that fact countless times in interviews discussing her role and the importance of Cooper’s support in depicting the role.

With the birth of social media, age has come the wave of new celebrities: social media stars. At 40 something years old, my mother may think these people are nobody’s, but these vloggers, Instagrammers, and other influencers have become the new model for society. They have broken the mold of what it means to be famous and allowed for the interface between the average person and their role model in a newfound way.

 

    Thatgrapejuice.net

Although we may perceive the life of these seemingly more attainable celebs as transparent, there is more than meets the eye in regards to their personal lives. Youtubers such as Elle Mills famously have declared to be burnt out from the stresses and fast-paced speed of expectation from fans and herself. This problem of loneliness and exhaustion from the pressures of stardom are the unexpected hardships many can transfer into the reality of our own personal lives.

Despite its depictions through various characters and central arc stories, many still question why this movie continues to be remade when the story has already been told and the reasoning for fans believing it deserved the award.

I think the answer is simple; we too just want to take another look at it.

The story of us.