Directed and produced by Bradley Cooper, Is This Thing On? marks his return behind the camera after Maestro and A Star Is Born. This American drama stars Will Arnett, Laura Dern, and Andra Day. Distributed by Searchlight Pictures, it will be released in French theaters on February 25, 2026.
The story follows Alex, a man in the midst of an existential crisis, and Tess, his wife, as their marriage falls apart. Alex, facing his fifties, seeks to reinvent himself in the world of New York stand-up comedy. Tess, meanwhile, reevaluates the compromises of her family life. Together, they explore the possibility of a new romantic balance.
The film is co-produced by Searchlight Pictures and Lea Pictures. Bradley Cooper wrote the screenplay with Will Arnett and Mark Chappell, known for The Big Short. Filming took place mainly in New York City. Will Arnett, a leading figure in American comedy (Arrested Development), shares the screen with Laura Dern, who won an Oscar for Marriage Story. Andra Day, Ciarán Hinds, Amy Sedaris, and Sean Hayes round out the cast.
Our Review of Is This Thing On?
With Is This Thing On?, Bradley Cooper continues the intimate exploration he began with Maestro, shifting focus from myth-making to the gradual erosion of a relationship. Led by Will Arnett and Laura Dern, the film follows Alex and Tess, a married couple of over twenty years with two children, as they face a crossroads: they still love each other but are no longer truly happy. Based on a true story, the narrative tracks Alex’s attempt to reinvent himself through stand-up comedy — not as a quest for fame, but as a way to breathe again.
Right from the opening scenes, Cooper sets a slow, introspective rhythm. There are no dramatic shocks or cathartic outbursts here. Instead, the film lingers on everyday gestures—sometimes obsessively—like multiple scenes of family members brushing their teeth that become a strange, revealing motif. This repetitive ritual captures the routine, the mechanics of a household still functioning but with a diminished vitality. The couple isn’t collapsing; they’re just worn down.
The direction reflects this fragile atmosphere. Cooper delicately captures silences, evasive glances, and subtle emotional shifts with a documentary-like precision. The camera often stays at eye level, focusing on hesitation rather than declarations. Like in Maestro, the approach isn’t about judging but observing. The overarching question — what do you do when love remains but happiness has faded? — receives a nuanced, non-absolute answer.
Stand-up becomes a mirror. Scenes at open mics and comedy clubs aren’t depicted as moments of triumph but as raw, revealing spaces. Alex doesn’t suddenly become a prodigy; the film deliberately keeps his comic talent ambiguous. Is he genuinely funny, or just seeking an outlet? This ambiguity fuels one of the film’s central critical debates. Cooper seems more interested in what the stage offers: a voice for feelings unspoken at home.
Will Arnett delivers a restrained, surprising performance. His Alex comes across as awkward, touching, sometimes pathetic — never a hero. Laura Dern, in contrast, embodies a woman tired but clear-eyed, balancing residual tenderness with a need for self-preservation. Their chemistry hinges on subtlety: nothing feels exaggerated, everything is contained. The scene where Alex’s mother reacts to his decision to perform — “I had no idea your life was so bad” — encapsulates the distance between external perception and internal discomfort.
The soundtrack, understated yet meaningful — especially when the children play Under Pressure — underscores the diffuse tension within the household. The story isn’t about dramatic upheaval but about silent pressure; that slow, oppressive feeling of being suffocated, which is never overly dramatized but gradually revealed.
Is This Thing On? primarily appeals to viewers drawn to nuanced tales of marriage and emotional complexity, favoring depth over storytelling efficiency. Those expecting a brisk romantic comedy or a spectacle-filled stand-up film might find it slow or contemplative — sometimes almost motionless. However, audiences interested in long-term relationships, life transitions, and emotional gray areas will find a subtle, profoundly human work.
Some may criticize the film for its gentle pacing or for some shortcuts in its depiction of the stand-up scene. Yet, its true strength lies elsewhere: in its refusal to oversimplify. Cooper crafts an adult, delicate film that accepts some stories don’t resolve with triumph but through self-awareness.
Neither a pure comedy nor a heavy tragedy, Is This Thing On? is a bittersweet meditation on routine, love, and the possibility of reinvention. A film that doesn’t strive to dazzle but to understand.
Is This Thing On?
Film | Release date: February 25, 2026
Drama | Duration: 2h04
Directed by Bradley Cooper | Starring Will Arnett, Laura Dern, Andra Day
Original title: Is This Thing On?
Country: United States
Bradley Cooper's new film offers a sensitive look at long-term relationships and personal reinvention.
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