A new 'Star Is Born' with Russell Crowe? Is this a bad, really bad idea?

When I first read my colleagues Steven Zeitchik and Rachel Abramowitz's intriguing post about a new film where the male lead plays an "aging, alcoholic musician who mentors/is schooled by--and then finds romance with--a younger female star," I thought for sure that some crazy producer had decided to make a low-budget knockoff of "Crazy Heart."

But no, it's Warner Bros., who, if the rumor mill is right, is pursuing Russell Crowe to star in yet another remake of "A Star Is Born," with Beyonce taking the female lead. (The most recent remake of this ancient "she's up as he's heading down" melodrama was in 1976, with Kris Kristofferson and Barbra Streisand as the doomed lovers.) To say that Crowe would be a step down from Kristofferson, especially if the story remains set in the world of music, is an understatement.

I was once a big Crowe fan, but I have to say that his recent string of duds, including "State of Play," "Body of Lies," "A Good Year" and "Cinderella Man," all in the past five years, have made me a non-believer. Despite giving a knockout performance in "American Gangster," his box- office credentials are shaky at best, as is his likability quotient with American moviegoers. Warners may have seen an early cut of Crowe's "Robin Hood," due this May, that is making them believe he still has some juice, but that's not the vibe I've been getting from rank and file moviegoers, who have clearly lost that lovin' feeling for Crowe.

Beyonce is a different story. She's young, sexy, hot (in a pop culture way) and even though she didn't make a dent with her role as Etta James in "Cadillac Records," she did have a surprise hit last spring in the thriller "Obsessed." It's still an open question as to whether she could carry the kind of role she'd have in a new "Star Is Born," especially since she's played it so safe with most of her solo albums, but obviously having her above the title would definitely give the project more heat than it would get from the usual suspects (meaning thank God Warners isn't trying to cast Jessica Alba or Megan Fox in the part).

I'm sure having Beyonce on board will also give the film a big media bounce, since it would be a breakthrough for Hollywood to actually make a film with a real interracial romance, something that has been verboten in studio films for years. But if I sound skeptical about the whole idea, it's that when it comes to remakes, at least good remakes, you need to have a really good reason to make the film. If all Warners is doing is simply updating a hoary idea to 2010 and giving it some hip-hop flava, then I'm guessing this version of "A Star Is Born" isn't going to be the one that will make any memories.

Photo by Armando Arorizo / EPA

Comments

[emm305]

yep, a bad, really bad idea.

godawful casting.

[Brian C.]

I hate remakes so damn much since it shows how far Hollywood has fallen but for Goldstein to say that State of Play and Cinderella Man were bad movies is just plain stupid. Just because they were not box office kings doesn't mean they were bad movies. Maybe audiences are just so damn stupid to go see a good movie that doesn't involve blue aliens or vampires is the real problem. Heaven forbid people should want to go see a real movie with actual acting and stories. I have been to an actual theatre only twice in the last year.....not because of the prices of a movie but because there hasn't been anything interesting to me. State of Play and Cinderella Man were really good solid movies and while I find it pretty idiotic to have Crowe in A Star is Born I'll watch him in most anything....he's a damn good actor and doesn't need to be in a CG movie for me to realize that.

[e-squared]

I too was once a big Crowe fan, but I have to disagree with you and say that he was not a dud in Cinderella Man. I think he did an excellent job. Unless you're referring to the box office take, then yes. It was a dud.

[David Ehrenstein]

"Bouncey" as Esther Blodgett? "Single Ladies" instead of "The Man That Got Away"? Russell Crowe instead of James Mason?

Hey I'll bet they get Michael Bay to direct.

[meaz]

WHAT THEY COULDN'T THINK UP A NEW MOVIE! THEY GOTTA KEEP MAKING PAST ONES?

[Teresa Elbin]

I couldn't disagree with you more concerning Crowe's talent and bankability. His performance in Cinderella Man was one of his best and everyone I know who saw it, loved it, including the critics. Likewise, he was great in State of Play. I actually preferred him in that as opposed to American Gangster. And let's not forget his performance in 3:10 to Yuma, which you have conveniently neglected to mention. He was spectacular as the bad guy Ben Wade. Crowe is still very much an A-list star and one of the most talented actors alive. Robin Hood will be great, both with the critics and at the box office. However, I do not think a remake of A Star is Born is the right vehicle for him. Certainly not with pop singer Beyonce in the other lead role. No way will this work, but not because Crowe has lost his touch. It's just not the right role for him and I frankly can't see a romance between him and the much younger diva, who truly cannot act.

[Rick Mitchell]

Actually, the original proposed casting for the 1976 version was Diana Ross with Kristofferson. Personally, I still prefer the 1937 version.

Rick Mitchell
Film Editor/Film Historian

[Kristi]

I'm no fan of remakes, nor am I fan of Beyonce, but Russell Crowe? Yes indeed. And as it happens, I quite liked State of Play and Cinderella Man was an amazing film that did not receive the recognition it should have. I believe it his off screen persona that has created problems in Hollywood. Remember a certain phone throwing incident just before Cinderella Man was released? The man has sizeable acting chops. There is a certain intensity about him that just leaps off the screen. Don't like the remake idea, but I do like him.

[Henry Valdez]

While I'm not a fan of Russell Crowe's,I have to say writer of this story is so full of BS,Its incredible for Nerd to berate Crowes performances in all film mentioned.

Regardless of box office performances,Crowes acting ability is over the top !

What needs to be done is rate writer Patrick Goldsteins performance as an aledged Critic. For Crying out loud is Goldstein related to food critic Lois Dwan ? That broad never gave a single good review on restaurants unless she owed a favor. Is La Times following play book of NBC ?God help them.

That would be more interesting,but not more entertaining than Crowes least popular performance. Regardles Russell Crowe is one hell of an actor.

And since when was Khristofferson considered a great musician with flat voice ? Tone deaf at best he was an OK Actor.
Jesus Can I get a job as LA Times Critic?

What I like the least is critics that can't do what others get critisized for.
Henry Valdez
Thousand Oaks,Ca
805 558-7473

[mjkbk]

"It would be a breakthrough for Hollywood to actually make a film with a real interracial romance, something that has been verboten in studio films for years."

So that wasn't a "real interracial romance" in Warners' "The Bodyguard"? And here I foolishly thought it was.

Maybe more than box office considerations, the people behind this version of "Star" are hoping that an actor of Russell Crowe's caliber will help improve Beyonce's performance and lend the film a gravitas it might not have otherwise.