Lady Gaga shines as she takes the stage in Bradley Cooper’s fantastic directorial debut of “A Star is Born,” the fourth time this story has been remade. The movie hit theatres on Oct. 5th and was a financial and critical success.

Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) is a famous musician battling drug abuse and hearing loss. One night, he meets struggling pop musician Ally (Lady Gaga) and they fall in love while he propels her to stardom.

Despite Gaga and Cooper’s great dynamic and believable chemistry, it was hard for me to follow the individual premise of each character.

Gaga’s shy shtick contrasts with her real-life confidence, and her actions in the movie are equally bold. However, Gaga has since come out to defend herself, claiming that the movie paralleled her own story.

Bradley Cooper’s character also needed more development; I was left questioning his key character features like his relationship with his father and the root of his health issues of alcoholism and hearing. I also found him extremely unlikeable because he’s depicted as someone who made Ally’s life much harder due to his unpredictable temperament.

Despite its bumps, you don’t want to miss this Oscar frontrunner. The movie does a perfect job dealing with mature and complex themes such as drug abuse, suicide and identity.

Whether it be the tear jerking love story, the inside look at the star making process or portrayal of real world issues, the plot presents a story that is relevant to everyone. Meanwhile, the soundtrack, costumes and stage presence all combine to make this movie a perfect highlight of the beginning of Oscar season.