User reviews

LIFF39 2025 #6

Comedy can be the most potent therapy for human suffering. No matter how tough life gets, it will always be funny. Comedians and comedic performers understand this deeply: despite life's struggles, the ability to make others laugh during dark times is a special gift for both the audience and the performer. There's nothing else like it.

'Is This Thing On?' explores that journey. It follows Alex (Will Arnett), who initially had no interest in comedy but starts doing stand-up as he faces a divorce and a midlife crisis. One night, wandering the streets, unsure of what he's doing, he enters a comedy club. Only comedians performing on stage can get in free; everyone else must pay. He signs up to perform and takes the stage, sharing his struggles with the crowd, who laugh a little. By the end, the experience lifts his spirits, and something inside him wakes up. He decides to follow this new path and even tries to fix his life. Though he's not as funny as a comedian-something almost every character in the film points out, including family and friends-it doesn't matter in the end. If you enjoy it and it gives you a new sense of purpose, it's not a waste of time or effort.

It wasn't the most exciting film I saw at this year's festival; I didn't think much about it afterward, but there's still a lot to appreciate. 'Is This Thing On?' is Bradley Cooper's third film as a director, and he also has a small supporting role. Compared to his previous two movies, it's the least flashy in terms of filmmaking, but for a story like this, I'm not sure if it needed to be. It's still a well-shot film.

Everyone's acting is the highlight. Will Arnett delivers a strong performance, once again channeling his BoJack Horseman character as a depressed man with complex emotions trying to rekindle his past life. Laura Dern is also excellent here. I mean, it's Laura Dern. What else would you expect from her? Bradley Cooper's character is named Balls, and yes, that is his real name. An eccentric character who pops in and out of the story, and whenever he appears, he's always up to something wacky. He got the most laughs, both from me and the audience.

So yeah, that's about what I took away from it. It's a heartfelt film about self-discovery that explores complex relationships and shows how comedy can save someone's life. Also, change it too. Even in middle age, it's not too late. The arts save lives.

I'm convinced Bradley Cooper is becoming the new Oscar-Bait filmmaker because it shows.

What Cooper offers is a very strong performance from Will Arnett and Laura Dern, yet, a predictable, cheesy, and basic narrative and concept, that doesn't really offer anything new to the core of comedy-drama. First thing is first, Cooper's direction on the atmosphere, presentation, and style, is mostly okay. The presentation is acceptable, there are some solid humor moments, and has some nice colors presented throughout. Having loved Arnett's vocal performances on Bojack Horseman, Arnett's performance was pretty good, as his personality and dynamics were the best aspects about the movie.

Unfortunately, as a whole, the narrative, as mentioned, is predictable. Each moment whether on it's humor dynamics, writing, and the concepts feel slim, cheesy, and follows pretty much most basic and non-creative comedy-drama. Beat per beat, which makes each moment too easy to follow, and easy to guess. The characters, were quite unlikable. Unlikeable characters can be well-written and engaging if they are given more depth and personality, unfortunately, Cooper offers little to nothing to the characters, which makes it a little difficult to believe them nor engage with their conflicts, and dynamics.

The musical score feels cheap, and there are some pacing aspects that feel a bit too slow. The dialogue feels clunky. As at times, there are some good dialogue moments between characters, and at the same time, some of them felt off-putting, weird, and fake.

Overall, Cooper, once again, just made another okay movie. Sadly, his remake of A Star Is Born and Maestro are pretty much good examples of Oscar Bait, and here, once again, comes another.

Rating - 8.2: Overall, the definition of what a comedy-drama should be as 'Is This Thing On?' is so raw and in-your-face with its cinematography as it amplifyies Will Arnett's performance, who uses stand-up comedy as a therapeutic outlet for his character's divorce; even though some of the storylines felt useless, this is a redemptive effort for Bradley Cooper, as he does a full 180 from Maestro by being more hands-off and letting the actors and the script play.

Direction - Good: The direction on a macroscale feels very raw and personal as it accurately portrays the hustle of the New York Comedy Scene through the lens of a raw and in your face camera; The direction on a microscale is good as the movie feels therapeutic with the protagonist venting about his struggles through comedy, basically live action Bojack Horseman; The interpersonal scenes between Arnet and Dern felt real as it accurately captured their dynamic; Though the group setting scenes were kind of unnecessary and brought the movie down; This movie feels like a complete 180 from Maestro as it is stripped down to let the actors and the script do most of the work; Storytelling feels so raw and real as you are so close to this protagonist and his struggles, literally from a camera perspective, as you see he uses this newfound love of comedy as a therapeutic outlet to get through his divorce; Tension is built as it uses your emotional investment in the protagonist to make you feel for him as he goes through his struggles, and cringe when he bombs on stage

Story - Good: The concept is very interesting, as it is about a father finding a newfound love of comedy as an outlet to get through his divorce, which is amazing considering this is based on a true story; the plot structure is good for the A and B plot, but the C plot just felt very unnecessary and clouded this movie's story; character writing is very good, as it paints this protagonist as a character we can empathize with, as he finds his new wind in comedy he uses as a therapeutic outlet to get through his divorce, though Laura Dern's character felt a little flat

Screenplay - Good to Very Good: The dialogue is profound and funny, as this movie is what a comedy drama should be; The humor is really good, as it interjects stand-up comedy throughout the movie to make it feel topical and as if you're in the comedy cellar watching the main character; The symbolism is strong, as the movie does touch on therapeutic outlets and the concept of going through a divorce and trying to coparent; The foreshadowing feels a little weak and stretched out, but this is what happened in real life, so I will allow it

Acting - Pretty Good to Good: Will Arnett - Very Good (Basically, plays a live-action Bojack; Really brings to life this character as you can empathize with his struggles as you are interested in seeing his standup career come to life as a therapeutic outlet for his divorce; Has good chemistry with Dern and pretty good chemistry with the cast), Laura Dern - Good (Plays her role well and has pretty good chemistry with Arnett to show one side of the dynamic of this divorce; Her solo scenes and storylines are not that amazing in comparison to Arnett's story, but she does show her own grieving process for this marriage coming to an end; With her Oscar win as a divorce attorney in 'Marriage Story', it seems like she is very familiar with the topic to play with it), Andra Day - Decent to Pretty Good (Plays her role well, but her material is not the best as her scenes are not really that well written and are not that interesting), Bradley Cooper - Pretty Bad (Sadly, the worst performance in this movie was his, as he was relegated to this slapstick physical comedy character that doesn't use any of his strengths; it's good he is barely in this movie because his scenes are honestly some of the worst in the movie), Rest of the cast - Decent to Pretty Good (Everyone in the cast plays their role well and helps bring to life the underbelly and hustle of the New York comedy scene; The chemistry in this cast is fine, but scenes are really better in the one-on-one interpersonal scenes; The jumpscare cameo also does a pretty good job given his background, you will be shocked when you see who it is)

Score - Good: Does a good job at establishing the theme and tone of the movie as it feels like an extension of the raw and fast-paced culture you would see in the New York comedy scene

Soundtrack - Pretty Good: Uses Under Pressure well to make this movie feel wholesome

Cinematography - Great: The best part of the movie was that it was so raw and in your face in order to help amplify the emotions the characters were going through, as if you are with them experiencing these events in real time, which is also helped considering everything is done in handi-cam

Editing - Very Good: Felt raw and seamless at the same time as it is very clear this movie was stitched by a professional; does an amazing job in conjunction with the cinematography to make you feel like you are right there with the characters with how in your face it is

Sound - Pretty Good to Good: makes New York and the comedy scene feel like a character in this movie

Production Design - Good: New York is a character in this movie, as shooting in real locations helps personify the hustle of the New York Comedy scene, especially in places like the Comedy Cellar

Pacing - Pacing is fast-paced in the comedy moments to show the hustle of the New York comedy scene, but a little slower and drier in the group setting scenes

Climax - Climax is executed well as it captures what happens in real life, and ties a bow on the story; Could have been better but this is what happened so I'll let it slide

Tone - Tone captured the raw grittiness of the New York comedy scene, as it is so up close and personal to get the feelings of this main character, who uses his material as a therapeutic outlet to get past his divorce; This movie is what a comedy drama should be; This movie feels like a live-action remake of Bojack Horseman

Final Notes - "Saw premiered at Austin Film Festival"

"Is This Thing On?" is a new film directed by Bradley Cooper and Cooper also plays a relatively minor role in the story. I saw it at the Philadelphia Film Festival yesterday.

Alex and Tess (Will Arnett and Laura Dern) are married but they are separating. Neither seems to have that much reason to separate other than, perhaps, boredom. However, Alex copes with this in a strange way. Instead of seeking therapy, he decides on a lark to do standup comedy! As for the wife, she copes by returning to her first love, volleyball.

So why did I give this one a paltry five? Well, two main reasons. First, Arnett is supposed to be doing standup and people like his act...but the act has barely a laugh in it at any time! They really needed to get a comedian to punch up Arnett's act and it just doesn't make sense why anyone would want to see it. In contrast, the very first episode of "The Marvelous Miss Maisel", the main character was freaking hilarious the first time she did standup! Second, the characters are all people I either strongly disliked (Alex, Tess, their extended family and friends) or was completely ambivalent towards (the gay couple and the kids). It;s a real shame, as the message that EVENTUALLY comes out in the film is an important one...that folks in a marriage might just need to focus on a hobby or avocation which gives them satisfaction, not just expecting their spouse to provide this. Overall, it sure seems like a film which could used a bit of a re-write and I can't see going to the trouble of seeing this in theaters...more a film to watch on Netflix or some other streaming service...if at all.

Enjoyed this one a lot. It's relatable, genuinely funny, and leaves you in a good mood.

Loved that they shot the stand-up scenes in front of a real audience; it gave the whole thing a raw, lived-in feel.

The ending, though, totally missed the tone and felt disconnected from the rest of the movie. Will Arnett absolutely nailed his role.

I am a big fan of Laura Dern as an actress from films like "Smooth Talk", "Blue Velvet", "Wild at Heart", "Rambling Rose", and "Jurassic Park". And I like Bradley Cooper from "Silver Linings Playbook" and "American Hustle".

Now they are both in the new movie "Is This Thing On?" directed by and co-written and co-produced by Cooper. The movie stars Will Arnett and Laura Dern as a married couple with two young sons who are separating.

The Will Arnett character starts getting involved with doing stand up comedy. Bradley Cooper plays an actor who is a friend in a supporting role.

The movie is engaging and enjoyable and very well acted by the entire cast. The cinematography by Matthew Libatique, who was nominated for an Oscar for "Black Swan", "A Star is Born", and "Maestro" is very good. I liked this movie very much. Very much worth seeing.

When did marriage vows incorporate the promise of living an inviolable life of happily ever after? It often feels like many of those who enter into such a contract believe that there's supposed to be an inherent entitlement to perpetual wedded bliss, but, as they often discover, that proves not to be the case. So then what? Where do couples who've hit rough patches go from there? For most, it's often separation and/or divorce, but is that really the most effective solution? As this latest offering from writer-actor-director Bradley Cooper illustrates, the trouble may lie with considerations other than a husband and wife's compatibility - and if that issue proves not to be at fault, continued happiness might ensue, and no need for a parting of the ways may be required. Having been married for 20 years, Alex Novak (Will Arnett) and his wife, Tess (Laura Dern), have found their marriage faltering, but they don't seem particularly hostile toward one another. Still, they decide to separate and begin investigating divorce. However, why would they go this route if they don't feel contempt for one another or a lack of chemistry between them, especially given the complex logistics involved in expenses, setting up two households and figuring out how to share custody of their two sons (Blake Kane, Calvin Knegten). Perhaps their difficulty rests more with a lack of personal fulfillment in their individual lives than in the nature of their relationship. And having some time apart may be just the ticket to learning this and finding a way to restore the missing individual satisfaction that has made each of them feel unfulfilled (and thereby affecting the character of their marriage). For Tess, this means exploring the possibility of getting into coaching women's volleyball, a sport she once excelled at herself. And, for Alex, it involves an impromptu stab at stand-up comedy at a New York open mic night, a lark that ends up proving to be a talent he never knew he possessed and that gives him enjoyment, recognition and an informal but viable form of therapy that helps him get his life back on track. Their respective endeavors change the way they see themselves and their relationship. But, since they've publicly proclaimed their intention to part company, what do they do now that they've discovered that their marriage may not be the problem after all? Do they keep up the pretense of separation, or do they bite the bullet and announce that initiating divorce proceedings was a mistake? In that regard, then, the film's title thus becomes an ironic double entendre, one that characterizes the resurgent on-again/off-again nature of their relationship, in addition to a common face-saving observation comedians make about the alleged malfunctioning of their on-stage microphones when a routine appears to be heading south. "Is This Thing On?" provides viewers with not only an intriguing look at the world of stand-up, but also how an impulsive venture might unwittingly help to transform an unsatisfying life into something richly rewarding at a time when such a change is least expected. Its therapeutic nature, coming at a seemingly inopportune time, reveals much that had long been hidden, breathing new life into an undertaking that was nearly (and erroneously) written off for good. And it accomplishes this with a frankness and honesty rarely seen in movies about relationships, both with a partner and with oneself. This is largely made possible by the superb performances of Arnett, who shows off acting chops many of us probably never knew he possessed, and Dern, who turns in yet another signature portrayal, continuing to illustrate the tremendous range she possesses as an actress. It's been disappointing to see this release shut out of awards season consideration thus far, but here's hoping that turns around in the remaining competitions. And, from where I stand, that's no laughing matter.

I was really looking forward to this. A depressed stand up comedian is a nice premise, usually a solid mix. It feels grounded in realism from start to finish.

I attended a Q&A screening, where I learned the film is partly based on the true story of a British comedian. That point was mentioned almost defensively like, "if you think this isn't realistic, you're wrong because it actually happened!" But honestly, the story never felt fabricated at all. It already felt authentic and didn't need to be defended. The start of Alex's comedy career reminded me of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel".

Bradley Cooper also shared that Arnett spent time performing real stand-up sets at the Comedy Cellar to prepare and the stand-up scenes were filmed in front of real, non-actor audiences which keeps the raw, uncomfortable energy.

As someone who watches a lot of stand up, I loved how many real comedians were cast. Instead of just one or two, the film is packed with actual New York stand-up regulars like Chloe Radcliffe, Jordan Jensen, and Reggie Conquest. I even recognized bits from some of their real routines, which added so much to the authenticity.

On the dramatic side, the cast is excellent. And despite the premise, this isn't really a movie about stand-up comedy. Alex actually works in finance; so this is a story about divorce, identity, and self-discovery through art, with stand-up as the vehicle rather than the destination.

It didn't feel like watching a movie, felt like observing people's lives. The film offers an intimate look at a marriage unraveling without slipping into melodrama. It's a warm, introspective dramedy. I didn't laugh much though; instead, I found myself invested in the characters. Ironically the funniest moment wasn't a joke onstage, it was the dog wandering out scene.

One potential point of debate is whether the stand up routines themselves are funny. Early on, the awkward, unfunny sets felt very true to what beginner comics actually sound like. While it might've been nice to see a truly killer set by the end, it also makes sense that we don't, Alex is still early in his journey. He's not a polished comic yet.

Unlike comedy films that fast track success or center around seasoned comics, this one focuses on the drudgery. It portrays stand up as therapy, and where bombing is part of the process. That realism really worked for me.

The film also feels deeply New York. It feels nice to recognize the spaces and the overall vibe. It avoids a glossy, romanticized version of the city and instead opts for something scrappier and more lived-in. Large portions were shot at the Comedy Cellar and the Olive Tree cafe just there.

Will Arnett gives a vulnerable, grounded performance as Alex, and the chemistry between him and Laura Dern is the emotional backbone of the film. Their dynamic feels painfully real, sad and authentic. Every character feels carefully crafted and fully lived in, which makes some scenes tough to watch because felt real.

I really loved this movie. It made me appreciate Bradley Cooper as a director more, I'm mostly indifferent to him. Made me more inclined to revisit his stuff as a director.

I didn't expect the ending at all - and it genuinely made me happy.

Thank you, Bradley, for giving me something hopeful to watch on Christmas night while navigating life after a long, painful divorce. This film reminded me that marriages can evolve, change, and sometimes work in ways we don't expect. I'm grateful for that message. Screw the haters. I look forward to seeing you again in New Hope, you're such a gentleman. Kimberly.

Watching the trailer I noticed something Marvelously familiar in the story line. Just as Midge Maisel found herself bottoming out in life, Alex finds the stage as "nothing left to lose" moment and lets it out. I will have to wait until January 8th or until it comes to town to find out if I shares the same story line as the Marvelous Ms. Maisel.