Bradley Cooper's 'Is This Thing On?' stars Will Arnett as a recently divorced man who, to avoid a bar cover, stumbles into stand-up comedy and discovers a surprising talent. Alongside Laura Dern as his ex-wife, the film is an endearing rom-com exploring midlife self-discovery, new hobbies, and the complex, evolving dynamic between two people post-separation.
Bradley Cooper's latest directorial effort, 'Is This Thing On?', is a subtle, self-deprecating, and ultimately endearing rom-com about Alex (Will Arnett) and Tess (Laura Dern), a couple amicably divorcing after 20 years. The film humorously opens with Alex, a middle-aged man in the midst of a divorce and a little high, signing up for an open mic night to avoid a $15 bar cover. Despite having no prior stand-up experience, he surprisingly proves to be quite good, adept at spinning his pain into self-deprecating jokes and unforced laughs. Will Arnett, known for his gravelly voice and portrayal of masculine sad-sacks, perfectly embodies Alex's journey into stand-up, which the film presents as a grown-up way to process life. Concurrently, Tess, a former Olympic volleyball player, embarks on her own path of rediscovery, experimenting with coaching to find her new identity. The film commendably focuses less on the typical post-divorce dating scene and more on the challenging yet rewarding work of rebuilding identity and self-worth in middle age. Loosely based on the life of British comedian John Bishop, Alex's nascent love affair with stand-up begins at New York's famed Comedy Cellar, effectively serving as a love letter to the city's thriving comedy scene and the unique camaraderie among comedians. While some supporting characters, including Bradley Cooper's 'Arnie' and a cameo by Peyton Manning, are noted as potentially distracting, the magnetic performances of Arnett and Dern anchor the film. Their evolving dynamic, which is often barbed, witty, and always charged, becomes the absorbing heart of the story. 'Is This Thing On?' is an absorbing portrait of a relationship in flux, as Alex and Tess fall in love with new hobbies and new versions of themselves, navigating the questions and hurts of their past. The film is screening at the New York film festival and is scheduled for release in US cinemas on December 19, Australian cinemas on January 22, and in the UK on January 30.
