- Bradley Cooper directs Will Arnett in a warm dramedy about a separated dad who tries stand-up.
- Laura Dern anchors the film with a nuanced performance as a wife reevaluating marriage.
- The movie balances promising stand-up scenes with a more focused marriage story — sometimes uneasily.
- Supporting turns from Andra Day, Amy Sedaris and Ciarán Hinds add texture.
H2: What the film is about
Is This Thing On? follows Alex (Will Arnett), a finance professional newly separated after 20 years of marriage. Searching for identity and relief from his gloom, Alex signs up for open-mic nights and discovers a rough but oddly therapeutic outlet in stand-up comedy. The film, written by Arnett and Mark Chappell from a story with John Bishop and directed by Bradley Cooper, moves between Alex’s tentative stage life and the private negotiations of his marriage to Tess (Laura Dern).
H2: Cooper’s tone — intimate dramedy
Bradley Cooper relaxes into a smaller, more intimate mode after his previous films. Cinematographer Matthew Libatique’s handheld approach keeps the camera close to Arnett’s face, tracking small shifts in expression and mood. Cooper teases the nightclub world of amateur comics — a space that promises reinvention, camaraderie and risk — but ultimately the film leans harder into the question of whether Alex and Tess can find a new way forward.
H3: Performances that hold the film together
Will Arnett brings an awkward, fizzing energy to Alex, selling the nervous charm of a man who suddenly enjoys audience approval. Laura Dern is the film’s emotional center, giving Tess a blend of resilience and restlessness as she contends with motherhood, past athletic identity and the realities of long-term partnership.
Andra Day and Bradley Cooper (as a scene-stealing actor friend) round out the couple’s social circle, while veterans Amy Sedaris and Ciarán Hinds provide comic warmth and familial perspective. The ensemble helps the movie feel lived-in even when its narrative feels pulled in two directions.
H3: A promising stand-up thread that gets short shrift
The movie’s clearest novelty is its idea of stand-up as sincere therapy — a talking cure performed under lights. Early scenes that show Alex fumbling and finding moments of truth onstage are fresh and compelling. Yet Cooper pivots to make the central conflict about saving or reshaping the marriage, and the granular world of comedy isn’t fully explored. That tonal split leaves the film feeling like two strong movies awkwardly stitched together.
H2: Verdict
Is This Thing On? is a thoughtful, often touching dramedy anchored by strong performances, especially from Dern and Arnett. Bradley Cooper’s direction gives the film intimacy and warmth, though the decision to focus more on marital repair than the comic subculture results in a missed opportunity. Still, the movie’s honesty about middle-age change and the complexities of long relationships makes it a worthwhile watch.
Rated R. Running time: 2 hours, 4 minutes. Playing in limited release Dec. 19.
Image Referance: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-12-18/is-this-thing-on-review-will-arnett-laura-dern-bradley-cooper-andra-day-stand-up
