Movie review
October 3, 2018 · 136 min · R
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
A Star Is Born (2018) follows a seasoned but troubled rock musician who discovers a struggling singer and falls in love with her, helping launch her career while his own life unravels from addiction and inner demons. The story is a classic tragic romance centered on fame, love, sacrifice, and personal failure. No audience-visible woke elements such as identity politics, activist dialogue, diversity quotas, or social-justice messaging appear in the plot, characters, or marketing. The film sticks to traditional emotional drama and music without reframing the tale into modern ideological territory.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for A Star Is Born.
Woke representation / casting
Traditional casting for a straight romance in the music world; leads fit naturally with no emphasis on diversity, swaps, or signaling.
Woke political dialogue
No political speeches, activist lines, or ideological arguments in the script or performances.
Identity-driven story themes
Story focuses on addiction, fame, love, and self-worth with zero framing around race, gender identity, or systemic identity issues.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Shows the harsh side of rock stardom and personal failings but presents them as individual tragedy, not modern activist attacks on patriarchy, capitalism, or traditional norms.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
No notable right-leaning or anti-woke complaints accusing the film of woke or DEI messaging.
Creator track record context
Key creatives show mild left-leaning donations or diversity comments but no pattern of heavy identity activism or woke projects; some (Phillips, Peters) lean the other way.
Production
