I just walked out of the theater and honestly, I'm still processing. I went in expecting a light comedy about midlife crisis, but 'Is This Thing On?' left me with this quiet, reflective ache. It's not sad, exactly—more like thoughtful. I keep thinking about that final shot of Will Arnett just sitting on his apartment floor, surrounded by pizza boxes and silence. It felt so real. The drive home was quiet; I kept replaying certain conversations in my head, especially the ones about the dreams we quietly abandon.
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What's Is This Thing On? About?
The movie follows Alex and Tess, a couple whose marriage has run its course. He's trying to find himself again in the stand-up comedy scene, while she's reckoning with the career and identity she put on hold. It's less about the big, dramatic breakup and more about the quiet, daily unraveling—and the awkward, painful, sometimes funny process of figuring out how to be a family when you're no longer a couple.
What Works in Is This Thing On?
- ✓ Will Arnett's performance is a revelation. He dials way back from his usual bombastic style, and his quiet desperation in the comedy club scenes is heartbreaking.
- ✓ The script is painfully honest. There's a scene where Laura Dern's character lists all the small things she gave up that made her who she was, and it hit me right in the gut.
- ✓ Bradley Cooper's direction is subtle and patient. He lets scenes breathe, especially the arguments that don't end in shouting but in exhausted silence.
- ✓ The New York locations feel lived-in and real, not like a postcard. You can almost smell the stale beer in those comedy clubs.
What Doesn't Work
- ✗ The pacing drags in the middle. There's a whole subplot with Andra Day's character that feels like it's spinning its wheels for 20 minutes.
- ✗ Bradley Cooper's cameo as a smug, successful comedian feels a bit too on-the-nose and took me out of the movie for a second.
- ✗ Some of the metaphors are a little obvious, like the recurring bit with a dying houseplant. We get it, their love is wilting.
Standout Moments & Performances
Two moments are burned into my brain. First, the 'kitchen fight'—it's not a scream-fest, but a whispered, brutal accounting of every tiny resentment built over 15 years. I held my breath. Second, Arnett's first stand-up set. It's a trainwreck, but you see this flicker of his old self trying to break through the numbness. It was cringe comedy with real soul. And there's a simple scene of them dividing books on a shelf that somehow captured the entire dissolution of a shared life.
Main Cast: Will Arnett, Laura Dern, Andra Day, Bradley Cooper, Christine Ebersole
Direction, Music & Visuals
Cooper, as a director, has really grown. He frames New York not as glamorous, but as a cramped, expensive pressure cooker. The cinematography is all muted blues and grays, which fits the mood but sometimes feels a bit drab. The music is sparingly used—mostly diegetic sounds of the city and those awful comedy club mics. The real technical achievement is the acting. Laura Dern is a masterclass in repressed emotion, and Will Arnett deserves awards consideration. He makes Alex's floundering both pathetic and deeply sympathetic.
Director: Bradley Cooper
Who Should Watch Is This Thing On??
This is for anyone who's navigated a major life transition—divorce, career change, that 'what now?' phase in your 40s or 50s. It's also great for fans of character-driven dramedies that favor conversation over action. If you liked 'Marriage Story' but wished it had a few more awkward laughs to cut the tension, you'll connect with this.
Who Might Want to Skip?
If you're looking for a straightforward, laugh-a-minute comedy or a feel-good story about reinvention, this isn't it. It's a slow, often melancholy character study. Also, skip if you can't stand movies where people talk about their feelings for two hours.
Final Verdict
I would absolutely recommend it, but with the right expectations. It's a thoughtful, well-acted, and often painfully accurate portrait of a specific kind of adult disappointment and resilience. It's not a movie I'd throw on for a fun Friday night, but it's one that stuck with me. I probably wouldn't watch it again soon—it's a bit of an emotional workout—but I'm glad I saw it. It feels like a real, honest story about real people.
