Recently I watched the movie, A Star is Born. For those with more sensitive ears such as myself, it has raw language, and a little bit of sexual content. But the acting was so good, and the story so powerful, that I was personally left only with the impression I had just watched a metaphorical masterpiece. 

What struck me, as it often does in classic love stories, is the resemblance to the greatest love story of all time…the Song of Songs. One just can’t escape it: a poor working-class woman is discovered by a man of great status, who falls passionately in love with her, and gives her a new life. In this case it is a woman named Alley (played by Lady Gaga) singing in a small-town bar, and a famous musician named Jackson Maine (played by Bradley Cooper) stumbling in by accident and hearing her sing. As they get to know each other after that, Alley expresses to Jack her insecurity to sing any songs that she wrote herself. But with Jack’s tender encouragement, she decides to become vulnerable and sing one of her songs to him. He loves it. In fact, he loves her songs so much that at his next concert he sings one her songs – but not without encouraging her to come on stage to sing it with him!

What ensued was, for awhile, a new career for the previously insecure Alley as she went on tour with Jack, and he put her center stage again and again. The chemistry between the two was incredible, and there was no competitive attitude between either one as they sang each other’s songs, and supported each other’s careers. It was a selfless blending of two voices, into one.

Again, I think of the Song of Songs here. One of its great translation challenges is that it is not always clear when the Shulamite woman is speaking, and when the King is speaking. Because there are no Hebrew marks to differentiate them, opinions vary. Personally, I love it that the book is not cut and dry! Not just because it makes understanding the Song something of a treasured mystery that has to be sought after, but also because the fuzziness pictures spiritual oneness in relationship. 

They co-author, as co-heirs, in constant co-habitation.

︎  All of Him, Loves All of You

Another beautiful take-away from the movie, is the way Jack’s love transformed Alley’s self image. She was especially embarrassed of her large nose. People told her that it would keep her from having a singing career. But Jack didn’t skip a beat in ever convincing Alley that he absolutely adored her nose, and in fact, would wish that it was bigger!

This too is pictured in the Song, the way the two lovers adore and compliment their specific body parts, likening them to other things that are beautiful or honorable. Also – the Shulamite’s “dark skin” was a stigma that some thought would keep her back.

Anyway, that’s all I want to share about this movie for now. Some of the content, as well as the ending, is challenging. I won’t spoil it for anyone by sharing too much. Plus all metaphors lose traction at some point.

But one can find even in this difficult ending, in my opinion, something of Christ in it.

Love never fails