I like this movie quite a bit, but why do people keep lying about it? 

It’s clear that the problem with this movie is that Bradley Cooper—lead actor, director, co-writer, co-producer—has pushed himself so far into its center that he doesn’t seem to realize he’s not actually supposed to be its star. Buddy, you’re pretty much here to be a tragedy—not even a heroic fuckup, really, but a painful liability. And so many of the film’s other perceived flaws—anti-popness, especially—proceed…