But the beauty of Cooper’s version is that it’s about so much more than jealousy. Maine is a deeply damaged man and despite all that Ally brings, she cannot heal him. Apart from acting, Cooper directed, co-produced and co-wrote this movie and some of the the songs in it. There is such honesty both in his portrayal of Maine and in his telling of Maine’s tragedy, that even the most clichéd elements ring true. When Maine and Ally first meet, he removes her fake eyebrows. That sentiment permeates the film. There are no false notes here.
