The transition from Hollywood Star to director doesn’t always go as smoothly as it did for Bradley Cooper. His impressive 2018 reboot of the classic A Star Is Born introduced the world to Lady Gaga as a formidable big-screen actress, and it demonstrated Cooper’s natural evolution as a filmmaker. Fans of the directorial debut, me included, waited eagerly for Cooper to return behind the camera. It took half a decade, but he finally resurfaced in 2023 with, Maestro, an exploration of the complicated and risqué personal life of famed composer and conductor, Leonard Bernstein. While a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards might suggest Cooper’s follow-up effort was an overwhelming success, in actuality Maestro divided audiences with a pretentious and uninspiring delivery that screamed “Oscar Bait” and nothing more. This left many of us wondering which film better characterizes Cooper as a director, and we were forced to wait and see. Thankfully, though, the wait is over, as Cooper returns with an original story of his own that swings the pendulum back into his favor.
Is This Thing On? follows Alex Novak (played by Will Arnett), a middle-aged father who one night happens to agree with his wife of many years, Tess (Laura Dern,) that their marriage is over. It isn’t that the couple has fallen out of life with one another, it’s just that their complacency and routine lifestyles have smothered any spark that once existed. As they navigate their separation and anticipated divorce, Alex wanders into a small comedy club on Open Mic Night and vents to the audience about his marital troubles with a sad, but alluring wit that brings the crowd to laughter and stirs up a passion in Alex that he hasn’t felt in years.
Many movie lovers have complained that the R-Rated Comedy is a dead genre. Classic hits like Wedding Crashers, Superbad, and The Hangover feel like archaic films that resemble nothing of what gets made and released nowadays. Although Is This Thing On? is a far more balanced dramedy, it feels as though Cooper is almost ushering back into that Golden Age of R-Rated comedies. The laughs are relentless and the emotion is earnest, a tried-and-true formula that works wonders once again.
From a comedic standpoint, Is This Thing On? nails its humor with an unbeatable backdrop of the hilarious characters hoping for stardom in the New York City comedy club community. Their quips and one-liners are fantastic and happen quick, so it’s inevitable that a few jokes will slip by as you’re laughing at previous ones. No worries though, that’s what second viewings are for, and this film certainly warrants multiple screenings. It’s here where Cooper explores themes of passion and purpose, suggesting that a life without these essential qualities is a life that’s being unlived. And as Alex begins to discover his own passion, the movie mirrors this in Tess’s life as well. After spending years away from the sport of volleyball where she was once an Olympic athlete, Tess returns to coach a new generation of players and discovers a newfound purpose of her own.
On the other end, Cooper’s latest also tugs at the heartstrings by showing a fractured relationship that hasn’t been destroyed by the usual suspects like infidelity or lack of trust. Instead, the threads of their marriage have been loosened by routine, obligation, and a lack of effort, something of which most wedded couples can certainly relate. Is This Thing On? magnificently shines a light on all our own relationships and asks, “so what are you going to do about it?”, spawning an impactful and eye-opening experience.
As far as Mid-Life Crisis dramedies go, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one as personal and as inspiring as Is This Thing On?. Bradley Cooper not only directs one of 2025’s most worthwhile films, but his supporting turn is exceptional as well. Arnett and Dern are also worthy of awards season chatter, but this late-year entry is somehow being completely overlooked by the industry. If you’re someone desiring more from your own life, you’ll find all the inspiration you need here. And while Oscar buzz is certainly nice, changing peoples’ lives is a far greater accomplishment.
GRADE: 4 and a Half Stars out of 5