I think we can all agree Bradley Cooper ("Maestro," 2023) is a deserved movie star. He’s handsome, talented, and has received a lot of critical acclaim. Since 2013, he’s received six Golden Globe nominations (four for acting/two for directing), five Oscar nominations for Best Actor, and he’s received two Oscar nominations for Best Screenplay. (The list of other big award nominations goes on.)
Does it sound like a bummer then to know Mr. Cooper hasn’t won any of these nominations? He’s surely come close to winning, but he can’t quite reach the satisfying finish line. That’s how I felt about his latest film, "Is This Thing On?"
Will Arnett ("BoJack Horseman," 2014-2020) turns away from the expected goofiness of his previous acting to play a world-weary man who separates from his wife and enters a mid-life crisis. One night he casually signs up to participate in a comedy club’s open mic gathering, and by speaking his insecurities and loneliness, finds a new sense of purpose.
I’m all for someone finding therapeutic outlets in unlikely places during an emotionally desolate time, but I did not enjoy this film. I left the movie theater feeling surprised at my disappointment, because many other film critics have praised this film. Some have even put it on their list of the best films of 2025. Am I missing something here? Why am I not understanding this film’s message?
The first reason for my dislike, I can think of, is this film reminds me a lot of the comedy series "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" which ran for five seasons on Amazon Prime between 2017 and 2023. (That series centers around a sheltered housewife in 1950s New York City who separates from her husband and finds a renewed confidence and sense of purpose performing stand-up comedy.)
Many of this film’s serious emotional moments have a touching honesty, but they also remind me of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." So there isn’t enough creativity or originality in this film to help it stand out (Because of the stand-up comedy content, this film also reminded me of the surprisingly sensitive 1988 comedy "Punchline").
The second reason for my dislike is my confusion. Multiple times during this film I asked myself, “What is all this supposed to be about?” How the magic of comedy can help you feel good about yourself again? The emotions explored in a mid-life crisis? Finding self-worth by stepping outside your comfort zone? The tenacity of an unhappy marriage to possibly bounce back? Whatever "Is This Thing On?" is intending to say, it feels vague, self-absorbed, and meandering.
Some scenes have dialogue that’s interesting and alive with a discernible mood or attitude. But far too many scenes have dialogue that’s boring and half-baked. The actor’s emotions are there, I just couldn’t grasp what the emotions actually are and why these emotions are happening.
"Is This Thing On?" is Bradley Cooper’s third film as director. His two previous films are so much better than this. Those films are "A Star is Born" (2018) and "Maestro" (2023). Bradley Cooper also co-wrote the screenplay with Will Arnett and screenwriter Mark Chappel ("See How They Run," 2022). And this film is inspired by the life story of British comedian John Bishop. So sad none of this could elevate the film to something more affecting and informative.
Mr. Cooper's previously directed film is "Maestro," and that film has a lightly impressionist quality. The flow from one scene to the next is not concerned with a pristine continuity, and each scene works to elegantly (but not directly) connect to the others. "Maestro" also doesn't rely too heavily on dialogue explaining the expected biographical highlights many viewers might expect.
I think Mr. Cooper was trying too hard to recreate that same impressionist quality in "Is This Thing On?" And because he tried too hard to recreate that patchwork style of storytelling, the film ends up being too loose, messy, and incoherent.
I’ve never been in an empty marriage or had a mid-life crisis. Maybe that’s why this film is such an enigma to me. It appears to ultimately be about two adults who face a lack of personal fulfillment in their respective lives, so they change up their lives for the better. I’m sorry. I’m still bored.
