A musician helps a young singer and actress find fame, even as age and alcoholism send his own career into a downward spiral.
In his directorial debut, Bradley Cooper (also the leading man) strikes the perfect balance between a showbiz fable and an intimate story with universal truths. As the protégé who rockets to fame, Lady Gaga is a winning, natural presence, even in the scenes where she's nowhere near a piano or a microphone. - Four stars