The cacophonic stage lives of many successful artists are riddled with underlying personal issues. Drug habits, complicated personal relationships, and more, act as crucibles that artists must either overcome or submit to.

This phenomenon is the focus of Bradly Cooper’s ambitious directorial debut, “A Star Is Born.” The remake of the 1976 film proves Cooper is not only a world-class actor but a more than capable director. His leading performance is perfectly complimented by his co-star, contemporary pop music icon Lady Gaga. The two have an irreplaceable chemistry.

Even though both leads play the roles of successful artists, the catharsis that “A Star Is Born” offers is astonishingly convincing. The movie also presents an impeccable soundtrack of Gaga and Cooper’s joint composition.

Perhaps the most poignant and reoccurring line in the movie is a line sung by Jackson Maine, the aging country star that Cooper portrays. “Maybe it’s time to let the old ways die.” Behind the melancholic veiling of a smooth-rolling melody, the anthem captures Jackson’s struggles to overcome his alcohol and drug addictions.

As something of a Hemingway hero, Maine fights through a life of pain on his own terms. Cooper showcases his incredible acting as he transitions through Maine’s sobriety, inebriation, and artistry. In the gut-wrenching moments when Maine’s struggles are truly highlighted, the audience is slammed with a wave of emotion and relatability.

It would be a disservice to simply state that Lady Gaga plays her character, Ally, flawlessly. In her own battle with defining her self-image and artistry, Gaga infuses Ally with the authentic pain and fighting spirit that she has embodied throughout her own musical career.

Bold, charismatically foul-mouthed, and incomparably talented, the real life of Gaga overlaps with the fictional life of Ally, providing audiences with a singularly authentic performance.

When the movie was being filmed, Gaga insisted that all of the musical performances be performed live. Cooper’s acceptance of the challenge pays off. Although it’s insanely hard for live recordings to sound as well as lip-synced performances, it’s nearly impossible to tell that both actors were singing live.

Setting aside the soundtrack and the acting, the direction and dialogue of the film are equally masterful in their presentation. Each conversation offers brutal realism. Even though this is Cooper’s directorial debut, the cinematography of the film is stellar as well. This is admirable in its own right — even more so considering the fact that a large portion of the movie takes place on stage, a notoriously difficult place to manage lighting in regards to film.

The dialogue, though poetic and plot-driven at times, is genuine in its management of curse words in both writing and delivery.

In its cathartic acting, realist dialogue, immaculate soundtrack, and poetic angle on music, “A Star Is Born” offers a remake unlike its predecessors. It showcases the talent of its cast while amplifying an emotional experience that audiences will never forget.