Is This Thing On? is a good old-fashioned character
study: a slice-of-life drama about a man who rediscovers himself after having
fallen into a lifeless rut. It’s the kind of thing that most people can relate
to on some level, and director Bradley Cooper (with a script credited to
Cooper, star Will Arnett, and Mark Chappell) brings it to the screen with a
minimum of manipulation and sentimentality. There are no grand
swing-for-the-fence moments or scenes designed to wrench tears from even the
driest eyes in the theater. Indeed, Cooper goes out of his way to remain
low-key in his approach to the material, giving it maximum realism, albeit at
the expense of emotional engagement. It’s not that one doesn’t feel for the
characters in Is This Thing On?, but one can reasonably question the
depth of that feeling.
Will Arnett, who plays the lead character Alex Novak, falls
into the “revelation” category here. Like most people attending this
film, I recognized him primarily for his comedic television work. I was more
than a little surprised at his depth and breadth as a dramatic actor. He nails
Alex not only when he’s doing stand-up but in the quiet moments of boredom,
surprise, sadness, and joy when he’s not on stage. I don’t know whether there’s
any buzz about Arnett getting Oscar attention for this performance, but it’s
certainly warranted.
The movie begins with a break-up. It’s an amicable one, with
Alex and his wife, Tess (Laura Dern), simply deciding that it’s best for
everyone if they go their separate ways. With little fanfare and no real drama,
he moves out and they adjust. One night, he finds himself outside of a bar
without the money to pay the cover charge, but he learns that if he signs up to
perform (it’s a comedy club), he can get in for free. His first time on stage
isn’t a rousing success, but Alex gets bitten by the performance bug. Soon,
he’s addicted and fully immersed in the culture. It’s only a matter of time
before he moves to a bigger venue and his secret gets out of the bag.
Cooper has fun with the “revelation” scene. He
makes sure the audience can see it coming from a mile away so we can enjoy the
build-up to the moment. It’s perhaps the only time in the film when he milks
anything. A lot of what happens afterward is expected, but there are some
delightful moments, and thankfully we don’t end up stuck in some weepy
melodrama where Alex’s single post-separation indiscretion becomes a major
stumbling block.
The best aspects of the film, aside from Arnett’s
performance, are the stand-up sequences. These have all the authenticity one
might expect from someone getting his feet wet and having more than a few jokes
fall completely flat. There’s a hit-and-miss variability to these types of
amateur performances that Is This Thing On? perfectly captures. That’s
no doubt due to the familiarity of Arnett to these venues. The authenticity he
brings to the writing side of things can’t be underestimated.
Searchlight Pictures’ decision to release this theatrically
reflects an optimism about how adult drama can fare in today’s bleak theatrical
environment. While this might have been a beloved under-the-radar success story
as recently as 10 or 15 years ago, it seems a hard sell in 2025, destined to
play in those tiny back-of-the-multiplex auditoriums reserved for titles no one
sees. However, this is a perfect streaming experience, and perhaps that’s where
it will find an audience. Alex is certainly worth spending a couple of hours
with, even if the slow pace is better modulated for a night in than a night
out.
Is This Thing On? (United States, 2025)