A Star Is Born

First Hit: First part of the film is engaging, however towards the end it less fetching and with a 135 minute running time, needed to be trimmed.

This felt like two separate films. The first part is engaging, and buying into the characters is easy. We are introduced to Jack (Bradley Cooper), a boozing leader of a popular band, in concert delivering raspy singing and playing wild guitar in-front of a huge adoring crowd.

Driving away from the concert he wants another drink and finds a bar. In the bar, he watches Ally (Lady Gaga) sing a fantastic rendition of La Vie En Rose. Jack is enthralled and heads backstage and after conversation they head to another bar to talk.

Jack discovers that Ally also writes songs, good ones. They begin a romantic relationship, and he invites her to sing one of her songs with him in front of an audience of thousands. Her insecurities, which are explored when she and Jack are hanging out in a bar, stem from what she says is her too-large of a nose. This reason for her insecurity wasn’t believable to me. A quick review of others who played this role, Barbara Streisand, has a far more unique nose. This wasn’t the best thing to select for Ally’s anxiousness. However, this is where the audience is hooked, and also where the movie begins to meander.

As the film journeys onward, we’ve bought into their love because their chemistry is excellent and Lady Gaga as an actress is fully believable. Cooper, we know, can act his pants off, and for the most part he’s good here, but I couldn’t help but sense there was some struggle with him directing himself.

The last half of the film is where this film begins its decline. For me, Jack never really seems to, or appears to, clean up from his drinking and drug use, although he supposedly does. When he finally cleans up, Ally’s music and business manager Rez Gavron (Rafl Gavron) tells Jack, that he’ll be the reason for Ally’s downfall if he continues to associate musically with his wife Ally.

At this point it becomes obvious what’s going to happen, as the clues are poignantly spread out during the course of the film.

Cooper as an actor was excellent more towards the beginning of the film, but it seemed to fall off towards the end. I have no idea of the sequence in which the film was shot but there is a noticeable difference between the beginning and end of this movie. As a director and producer, there seemed too many scenes and prudent trimming would have helped to overall presentation. As an aside, he did a great job of playing a musician on stage. Gaga was extraordinary. She is a natural on the screen and this part was perfect for her to introduce acting into her repertoire. Gavron was strong as Ally’s career guiding manager. Sam Elliot (as Bobby, Jack’s older brother) was wonderful as the older brother who did his best to raise Jack. Andrew Dice Clay (as Andrew, Ally’s father) was sublime. I’m happy to see him in this role without the “Diceman” attitude. Anthony Ramos, as Roman, was wonderful as Ally’s best friend. Eric Roth and Bradley Cooper wrote a good script, although it needed to be trimmed. Cooper, as previously stated, directed this film.

Overall: The singing was terrific, and it showcases the talent of Lady Gaga

The Hero

First Hit: A sweet thoughtful film about a man caught in the past and trying to rectify the future.

Who doesn’t love Sam Elliot’s voice? Here Elliot plays Lee Hayden a part time actor and voice over master who had one film part that made him famous. The part was in a western in the 1960's called ‘The Hero’.

The film begins with him doing a voice over with his deep rich velvety voice. The director/producer asks him to continue repeating the saying (about some sauce) as if he’ll do the same words in such a way that it is different. Watching Lee closely you see his distaste for producers and directors not knowing what they want.

He spends time with his neighbor Jeremy Frost (Nick Offerman) who is a former actor who did a short-lived television series with Lee, and is also Lee’s marijuana dealer/provider. They smoke pot, take a few other drugs, drink, get high, watch old films and lament why their careers didn’t do more.

There’s a sadness about Lee, which gets pointed out by Charlotte Dylan (Laura Prepon) one of Jeremy’s other drug customers, when he asks what she sees in him while staring, she says “sadness”. There is a mutual spark of interest and he invites her on a date to an awards banquet where he’s to receive a “lifetime…” award.

The awards banquet is a hoot because Charlotte gave him a ‘molly’ in his champagne and they have a blast together.

The other story is Lee’s attempt at a reconciliation with his daughter Lucy (Krysten Ritter) whom he had with wife Valarie (Katherine Ross). Carrying around this news about his cancer is weighing Lee down and his inability to share this with Valarie, Lucy and his neighbor Jeremy is creating internal dialogue and dreams that have him reliving his famous role, 'The Hero'.

The challenges Lee has are: Being with a woman who’s about 30+ years his junior. His former wife’s success as an artist and gallery owner. His cancer and having an estranged daughter are slowing sinking him. He must find a way to begin resolving these challenges.

Scenes that I thought were powerful included; Charlotte’s comedy routine, Charlotte reading a poem, he and his daughter standing on a beachside cliff, his audition for a new film, and his sharing with Valarie about his cancer.

Elliot’s voice is amazing. I love listening to him speak. It is a voice I’m envious of. He’s perfect for this part because, although known, he’s not an actor you see in a lot of films. It was very nice to see Ross again in a film role. Although it was a small part, she’s great. Prepon is fantastic as the young woman who is interested in spending time with Lee. She’s a perfect amount of sassiness and thoughtfulness. Ritter is strong as the forgotten daughter. I loved her lines on the beach cliff about comparing their hands. It was truly touching. Offerman was funny as Lee’s neighbor, friend and drug supplier. When Lee is reviewing lines for a new part, Offerman’s antsy behavior is priceless. Brett Haley and Marc Basch wrote a very strong script. It was filled with perfect sections of silence as well as witty dialogue. Haley did a great job of filming this and when you see through the eyes of Lee high on mushrooms, you sensed the perceived clarity of life.

Overall:  This was a fine film that will probably be enjoyed by a small audience.

Grandma

First Hit:  Most of the time it was creatively funny and interesting while being topical.

Lily Tomlin (Plays Elle Reid – the grandmother) is in one of her finest moments as an actress. It allows both her acerbic and humorous qualities to exist in the same person while making sense.

Her granddaughter Sage (Julia Garner) arrives at her home looking for help. She’s young, pregnant and without the money she needs to have an abortion scheduled for later that day. Elle doesn’t have the money either and although Elle’s daughter and Sage’s mother Judy (Marcia Gay Harden) has money, neither want to ask her.

The story aims to help bridge this gap between grandmother, mother and daughter. Elle is also a lesbian and her live-in lover Olivia (Judy Greer) who is getting the boot early on in the film, provides another side of the story and the complexity of Elle’s life is slowly revealed as the movie unfolds.

Although complex, the story is also simple and gives the audience enough to think about as the story unfolds. This is one of the strong points of the film. Additionally, many of the shots of Sage and Elle driving in the vintage car are precious as was the interaction between Elle and her former husband Karl (Sam Elliot).

Tomlin is fantastic and makes the emotional wise role work well. Garner is a star in this film. She’s both angelic and vulnerable. Harden is strong in her small role. Greer’s perfect in her small and pivotal role. Elliot is absolutely divine as the former husband. Paul Weitz wrote and directed this insightful, funny, poignant film.

Overall:  This film has staying power after watching it.

I'll See You in My Dreams

First Hit:  Thoughtful and very well acted film about loss and growing older.

Carol (Blythe Danner) is alone, her husband died twenty years earlier.

She has a dog that dies early in the film which adds to the sorrow Carol carries. Her mood has a heaviness to it that is palpable. Her friends Georgina (June Squibb), Sally (Rhea Perlman), and Rona (Mary Kay Place) play bridge regularly. Sally and her play golf at a golf club and her life seems set, unexciting, and, at times, meaningless.

Her pool guy Lloyd (Martin Star) is a lost young man who has no direction, little purpose except to clean the pool he’s cleaning at that time. He’s philosophical with his predicament and shares his belief with Carol. Given his place and her place, it creates a bond of understanding and friendship.

When he sings the song he's written to Carol, the mood is so sweet, beautiful and heartfelt. It adds to his beauty as an understanding person. Carol tries speed dating, which has its own funny moments, but when she finds herself attracted to and giddy about Bill (Sam Elliot), the life in her begins to show. How she expresses it with her visiting daughter Katherine (Malin Akerman) was very touching and real.

Danner is exquisite. She really embodied the dullness and sadness of her life and the rise of hope when Bill arrives into her life. Squibb, Perlman, and Place are perfect as friends having strong personalities that support and care about Carol.  Star is amazing as the guy who sings off key, is lost in life, cleans pools and finds a friend in Carol. Akerman is very good as the daughter that knows her mom well enough to draw her out and support her next steps. Elliot is strong as the self-assured older man who has a hankering for Carol. Marc Basch and Brett Haley wrote a strong and insightful script. Haley did an excellent job of directing this cast as well as making the script feel full of heart.

Overall:  This was an amazing performance by Danner and the entire cast.