---
title: "Is This Thing On?"
year: 2025
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/is-this-thing-on"
fi1m_id: "is-this-thing-on"
imdb_id: "tt28083456"
tmdb_id: 1140498
wikidata_id: "Q132189965"
fi1m_score: 71
critics_score: 70
critics_reviews: 24
published: "2026-09-09"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:45.445901+00:00"
region: "ID"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Is This Thing On? (2025)

Directed by Bradley Cooper · 2h 01m · Comedy, Drama, Romance

## Identity

Is This Thing On?

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/is-this-thing-on
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** is-this-thing-on
- **IMDb ID:** tt28083456
- **TMDB ID:** 1140498
- **Wikidata ID:** Q132189965
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28083456/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1140498, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q132189965

**Fi1m score: 71** · Critics 70 from 24 reviews

*In a sentence:* Will Arnett discovers he might be funny, and the film treats this as more of a surprise than we do

> Bradley Cooper’s third film as director is a small, kind and often funny account of a marriage coming apart and a man finding his voice at an open mic. Arnett and Dern are excellent; the script is softer than they are.

## Synopsis

Alex Novak (Will Arnett) is a man in his forties whose marriage to Tess (Laura Dern) has run out. As the two of them work out how to separate and how to share the children, Felix and Jude, Alex wanders into an open-mic night and, without quite meaning to, gets up and talks about his life. People laugh. He keeps going back. Bradley Cooper directs and plays Balls, Alex’s friend, with Andra Day as Christine, Christine Ebersole and Ciarán Hinds as Marilyn and Jan, and Amy Sedaris and Sean Hayes in support. The story is loosely drawn from the life of the British comedian John Bishop, who shares the story credit with Arnett and Mark Chappell.

## Review

Alex Novak (Will Arnett) is a man in his forties whose marriage is over and who has not yet found the words for it. Then he wanders into an open-mic night, gets up, and finds that saying the worst of it out loud to a room of strangers is easier than saying it at home. That is the whole idea, and Bradley Cooper’s third film as director, after *A Star Is Born* (2018) and [*Maestro*](https://film.one/film/maestro) (2023), is content to stay that size. The story comes from the British comedian John Bishop, who shares the story credit with Arnett and Mark Chappell; the screenplay is by Arnett, Cooper and Chappell. It is a warm, well-acted evening, and it is softer than it needs to be.

Arnett has spent most of his career being loud and certain for laughs. Here he is quiet and unsure, and it suits him better than we would have guessed. The film is honest about how bad a first open mic is: Alex’s early sets are more confession than routine, he loses his place, and the laughs he gets are the uncomfortable kind. Arnett plays the sets without winking at us, and plays the kitchen scenes with Dern as a man who keeps arriving at the sentence and then not saying it. It is as good as he has been on screen.

Laura Dern has the harder part, because Tess is the one who has to be reasonable while the film’s attention is elsewhere, and she makes something of it. Tess is not written as the wife who is wrong; she has a life she wants back and the film lets her want it. Dern does much of her work listening. There is a scene in the second half we will not describe in which she says almost nothing, and it moved us more than we were ready for, because everything she had been holding in for an hour was suddenly on her face and she still did not raise her voice. We were slightly embarrassed to be got at so completely by something so small.

Cooper casts himself as Balls, Alex’s friend, and the scenes between him and Arnett have the ease of two men who have known each other for twenty years, which they have. Andra Day gives Christine a steadiness the men around her lack. Christine Ebersole and Ciarán Hinds get a handful of scenes as Marilyn and Jan and are good in them; Amy Sedaris and Sean Hayes are on hand for noise. Peyton Manning turns up as Laird and is about as surprising as that sounds.

Matthew Libatique shoots most of it close and in dim rooms, the club and the kitchen lit about the same, so that Arnett’s face fills the frame and there is not much else to look at. For an hour that is the right choice. Kevin Thompson’s production design gives the Novaks a house that looks lived in rather than dressed, and Gali Noy’s costumes do not draw the eye, which here is the job. Charlie Greene cuts the stand-up sets so that we sit through the pauses rather than skipping to the punchline. James Newberry’s score is mostly quiet, and when it does step forward it tends to tell us we are being moved after Dern had already seen to it.

The trouble is the script. Arnett, Cooper and Chappell have written a divorce in which nobody behaves badly for long, nobody says the unforgivable thing, and every scene ends a beat kinder than the one before. We kept waiting for the fight and it kept being put off. The camera’s closeness to Alex has a cost too: we know his side of the marriage in detail and Tess’s mostly by inference, and the film seems to know it without being able to fix it. The stand-up thread thins as the film goes on, and the question of whether Alex is any good is left hanging, which is a fair choice for a film about therapy and a frustrating one for a film about comedy. At 121 minutes it is twenty too long for a story this small.

Set against *Maestro*, which was busy and loud and always performing, this is a relief. Cooper has shown he can sit still in a room with two actors and trust them, and the film is at its best when that is all it does. See it with someone you have argued with; the kitchen scenes will do the rest. It runs 121 minutes and carries a 15.

*Fi1m score 71, published 9 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics like it, and nearly all of them like it for the same reasons. The praise clusters on Will Arnett, whose turn as a separated father trying open-mic stand-up is repeatedly called a revelation for an actor known for comedy, and on Laura Dern, singled out for her reactions as much as her lines. Bradley Cooper’s direction is described as intimate, loose and modestly scaled, a deliberate change of pace.

The reservations are also consistent: the script is thin on the marriage itself, the stand-up thread is underused, and several reviewers are unsure whether the character is meant to be any good at comedy. The Guardian and The Skinny both find it not quite funny enough. The spread is wide. The Times calls it slight and ploddy, The Wrap objects to the camera staying so close to one man’s point of view, and Eye for Film thinks the screenplay wastes its premise. Even the harshest reviews spare the two leads.

## Straight answers

**Is Is This Thing On? worth watching?**

*Is This Thing On?* is worth watching if you want a small, kind and often funny film about a marriage ending, and we scored it 71. Will Arnett and Laura Dern are both excellent, Arnett quieter and better than we expected. The script is softer than they are, the fight never quite arrives, and at 121 minutes it is twenty too long.

**How long is Is This Thing On?, and what is it rated?**

*Is This Thing On?* runs 2h 01m. It is a comedy and drama film.

**Where can I watch Is This Thing On? in Indonesia?**

*Is This Thing On?* is not on any streaming or rental service in Indonesia at the moment. It is available in 45 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is Is This Thing On?, and is it suitable for children?**

*Is This Thing On?* is not violent or frightening; it carries a UK 15 for adult themes and language rather than for anything shocking. It is a comedy-drama about a divorce and a man doing open-mic stand-up, so the difficulty is emotional, not physical. Not made for children, and teenagers may find it slow.

**How does Is This Thing On? compare to Marriage Story?**

*Is This Thing On?* is the gentler film: the same divorce as [*Marriage Story*](https://film.one/film/marriage-story), but with the gloves kept on. Baumbach's film lets Driver and Johansson say the unforgivable things and is the more painful and honest of the two, though its big arguments can feel rehearsed. Cooper's film is warmer and funnier, and it keeps putting off the fight.

**What should I watch after Is This Thing On??**

After *Is This Thing On?*, try [*Marriage Story*](https://film.one/film/marriage-story) (2019, Fi1m 84): The same divorce with the gloves off; Driver and Johansson say the unforgivable things. Then [*The Squid and the Whale*](https://film.one/film/the-squid-and-the-whale) (2005, Fi1m 83): A separation seen mostly from the children’s end of the table, sharp and unsparing.

### Reviews we read (28)

- **Empire**, John Nugent (85/100, inferred): Cooper’s funniest and most humane film to date is an appealing tragicomedy-drama about a man processing divorce through stand-up, told with veracity and heart by a strong cast including Arnett and Dern. It feels carved from real emotional bedrock in its portrayal of ordinary family life and self-discovery. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/is-this-thing-on/)
- **Film Comment**, Molly Haskell (80/100, inferred): The film portrays a middle-aged man's late-life reinvention through stand-up comedy amid marital separation, highlighting the paradox of marriage and the possibility of new identities. It is described as a feel-good yet organic and incandescent story with strong performances, especially from Will Arnett and Laura Dern. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/the-aging-artist-jay-kelly-noah-baumbach-is-this-thing-on-bradley-cooper-late-fame-kent-jones-review/)
- **Little White Lies**, Katherine McLaughlin (4/4/4): Cooper’s charming rom-com drama about a struggling marriage viewed through stand-up is funny, insightful and brilliantly directed. It excels in its beautifully performed depiction of adult relationships and the emotional energy of separation. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/is-this-thing-on)
- **The i Paper**, Francesca Steele (80/100, inferred): This is a raw, uplifting story about midlife reinvention through comedy that proves life does not narrow in your 40s, with Arnett delivering a tremendous, restrained lead performance and Dern providing complex support. The gentle humour and lived-in portrayal of separation make it feel authentic and fun despite some implausible elements. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/john-bishop-divorce-better-than-sounds-4166018)
- **The New Yorker**, Justin Chang (80/100, inferred): Cooper's modestly scaled film is scrappy yet enormously affecting, centering on fragile exes who may salvage their marriage through self-discovery. Arnett's revelatory performance as the novice comic and Dern's expressive reactions are singled out for praise. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/12/22/is-this-thing-on-movie-review)
- **The Telegraph**, Tim Robey (4/5): Bradley Cooper’s spry directing effort proves he can be loose and funny, with Will Arnett delivering a superb lead performance as a depressed father who finds catharsis in stand-up comedy loosely inspired by John Bishop. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2025/10/14/bradley-cooper-is-this-thing-on/)
- **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (4/5): Divorce becomes a laughing matter in this bittersweet break-up tale where Arnett delivers a revelation as the stand-up novice. Cooper finds renewal and a sense of fresh perspective amid the pain of marital breakdown and co-parenting. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/is-this-thing-on-review-2026)
- **Screen Daily** (75/100, inferred): Arnett and Dern impress as a couple navigating divorce in Cooper’s bittersweet third feature, which settles comfortably into a melancholy register. Stand-up serves as therapy for the protagonist, allowing emotional nakedness without suggesting comedic genius. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/is-this-thing-on-review-bradley-coopers-bittersweet-third-feature-stars-will-arnett-and-laura-dern/5209832.article)
- **The Independent** (75/100, inferred): The film is a sweet, slightly subdued dramedy that accurately captures the world of open-mic nights while exploring whether creative pursuits can ease the burdens of a dissolving marriage rather than add to them. It works through its focus on the ordinary and the personal, with strong chemistry between Arnett and Dern, though it remains minor in scope. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/is-this-thing-on-review-john-bishop-b2909223.html)
- **Vulture** (75/100, inferred): The review calls it a crowd-pleaser focused more on relationship dynamics than comedy, with Cooper showing flair for domestic drama. Arnett and Dern's characters find unexpected joy and lingering connection after separation through stand-up and coaching. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/is-this-thing-on-review-bradley-cooper-made-a-crowd-pleaser.html)
- **Sight and Sound** (70/100, inferred): Bradley Cooper offers a predictable yet sympathetic look at a marriage on the rocks, with Will Arnett finding unexpected solace in stand-up comedy. The film champions mid-budget adult dramas through its focus on middle-aged self-reckoning and co-parenting dynamics. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/this-thing-will-arnett-delivers-just-right-amount-self-deprecation-rom-com-based-life-comedian-john-bishop)
- **The AV Club**, Jesse Hassenger (B-): The critic praises the modest scale and strong turns from Arnett and Dern in this enjoyable dramedy about divorce and stand-up reinvention. It lacks deeper messiness in its marriage themes despite solid performances and an intimate directorial approach. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/is-this-thing-on-review)
- **The New York Times**, Jeannette Catsoulis (70/100, inferred): The film is an amiable, low-stakes comedy about a separated man finding solace in stand-up that never delves deeply into marital turmoil. Cooper's intimate direction and strong performances from Arnett and Dern are singled out for praise amid a flimsy script. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/movies/is-this-thing-on-review.html)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Robert Abele (65/100, inferred): The dramedy is a worthy but uneven effort that crams together two good ideas about stand-up as therapy and marital reconnection. Cooper's confident direction and the lead actors' chemistry are singled out, though the stand-up thread feels underused. [Read](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)
- **Radio Times** (3/5): Cooper turns John Bishop’s life story into a sweet but indulgent comedy-drama about a man turning to stand-up amid separation. It is applauded for tackling divorce with a level head in an intimate, shaggy-dog style. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/is-this-thing-on-review/)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (60/100, inferred): The film is a likable, spirited story about a man discovering stand-up comedy amid divorce, but it is not entirely convincing on its own terms and the central character’s comedic talent remains unclear. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/29/is-this-thing-on-review-bradley-cooper-will-arnett)
- **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (60/100, inferred): The feel-good divorce comedy is observant and bittersweet but slightly soft and pandering, with Arnett likable in a mopey role. The script's basis in real life and the ensemble are noted, though it lacks edge. [Read](https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/is-this-thing-on-review-will-arnett-bradley-cooper-1236545242/)
- **IndieWire**, Ryan Lattanzio (45/100, inferred): The review notes captivating turns from Arnett and Dern but criticizes the film as overlong and self-indulgent, a midlife-crisis stand-up story that could use more genuine crisis. Cooper's direction shows flair but the result feels uneven at NYFF. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/is-this-thing-on-review-bradley-cooper-1235155255/)
- **Financial Times**, Danny Leigh (★★★★☆): Will Arnett is wry and likeable as a man whose marriage ends and who turns to stand-up comedy for emotional release in this charming, understated crowd-pleaser. [Read](https://www.ft.com/content/53670c38-d9fa-4ea2-be45-47d0ff93795d)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney: The critic finds the film soulful, funny and affecting as a warmhearted flipside to Marriage Story, with stand-up serving as therapeutic self-discovery after divorce. Arnett and Dern deliver gorgeous, natural performances that fuel its emotional honesty. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/is-this-thing-on-review-will-arnett-laura-dern-1236397884/)
- **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★★☆☆☆): The film is a harmless but savagely slight middlebrow romance that feels ploddy despite amiable turns from Will Arnett and Laura Dern. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/is-this-thing-on-review-bradley-cooper-rom-com-dvhvc2slh)
- **/Film**, Ethan Anderton (9/10): The critic praises Will Arnett's career-defining performance as a recently divorced man turning to stand-up in this intimate dramedy. They single out the authentic chemistry with Laura Dern and the film's genuine portrayal of a fractured relationship for particular praise. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/2054865/is-this-thing-on-movie-review/)
- **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (85/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's insightful and often funny dissection of a crumbling marriage, highlighting the strong performances by Will Arnett and Laura Dern as a couple navigating divorce through stand-up comedy as therapy. They single out the intimate filmmaking and authentic portrayal of personal fulfillment needs for particular acclaim. [Read](https://deadline.com/2025/10/is-this-thing-on-review-bradley-cooper-dissection-marriage-1236582536/)
- **Collider**, Nate Richard (80/100, inferred): Will Arnett gives a career-best dramatic performance as a man navigating divorce by stumbling into stand-up comedy; the film is lauded for its mature, intimate portrayal of a dissolving marriage and strong turns from Arnett and Laura Dern. [Read](https://collider.com/is-this-thing-on-review-bradley-cooper-will-arnett-laura-dern/)
- **The Skinny**, Philip Concannon (★★★): The film is engaging and perceptive as a portrait of a marriage in a rut and a refreshing change of pace for the director, but never quite funny enough with a dramatically undercooked story and pat resolution. Arnett and Dern excel, particularly Dern in a standout emotional moment. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/is-this-thing-on)
- **The Wrap** (40/100, inferred): The review finds the divorce dramedy mostly stingy and limited by Cooper's myopic techniques, criticizing the focus on one character's emotional reality at the expense of balanced development and the stifling camera work. They single out the bro-y camaraderie between Arnett and Cooper for some amusement but overall see it as sketchy and frustrating. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/is-this-thing-on-review-bradley-cooper-will-arnett/)
- **Eye for Film**, Paul Risker (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film crippled by a screenplay that fails to deliver on its potential as a heartwarming story. They single out the lack of depth in characters and plot as the main complaint, despite some strong stand-up scenes. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/is-this-thing-on-2025-film-review-by-paul-risker)
- **Paste**, Casey Epstein-Gross (7.2): The dramedy delivers a modest, realistic take on post-divorce life through the lens of amateur stand-up without treating comedy as therapy or a path to fame; it excels thanks to the lived-in chemistry between Will Arnett and Laura Dern and Bradley Cooper’s restrained, intimate direction. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/bradley-cooper/is-this-thing-on)

## Details

- **Director:** Bradley Cooper
- **Director:** Bradley Cooper
- **Screenplay:** Will Arnett, Mark Chappell, Bradley Cooper
- **Story:** Will Arnett, Mark Chappell, John Bishop
- **Cinematography:** Matthew Libatique
- **Editor:** Charlie Greene
- **Music:** James Newberry
- **Production design:** Kevin Thompson
- **Costume design:** Gali Noy
- **Producer:** Bradley Cooper, Kris Thykier, Will Arnett
- **Cast:** Will Arnett as Alex Novak; Laura Dern as Tess Novak; Andra Day as Christine; Bradley Cooper as Balls; Christine Ebersole as Marilyn; Ciarán Hinds as Jan; Amy Sedaris as Kemp; Sean Hayes as Stephen
- **Runtime:** 2h 01m
- **First release (the US):** 10 October 2025
- **Genres:** Comedy, Drama, Romance
- **Budget:** $15 million
- **Box office:** $10 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr14-Ebwcns

## Where to watch in Indonesia

Not streaming, renting or buying in Indonesia at the last check.

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Marriage Story* (2019), Fi1m 84: The same divorce with the gloves off; Driver and Johansson say the unforgivable things. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/marriage-story.md)
- *Punchline* (1988): Sally Field and Tom Hanks at the open mic, and the film knows how hard it is.
- *Scenes from a Marriage* (1973): Bergman’s long, patient autopsy of a couple; nobody has done the kitchen scene better.
- *Funny Cow* (2017): Maxine Peake works the northern club circuit; bleaker, funnier and unafraid of the crowd.
- *The Squid and the Whale* (2005), Fi1m 83: A separation seen mostly from the children’s end of the table, sharp and unsparing. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-squid-and-the-whale.md)

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© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/is-this-thing-on