Is This Thing On? review: Will Arnett and Laura Dern in charming comedy
After directing major awards players A Star Is Born and Maestro, Bradley Cooper has now turned his hand to a humble romance comedy-drama inspired by the life of British comedian John Bishop. Yes, really.
Just over 25 years ago, during a temporary separation from his wife, salesman Bishop signed up for an open mic night in a Manchester pub to avoid paying the entrance fee and tried stand-up comedy for the first time. He fell in love with his new hobby and that passion reignited his spark with his wife.
Bishop told that story to comedy actor Will Arnett, who was inspired to write a script with his friend Cooper and Mark Chappell. In the movie version, Arnett stars as Alex, who agrees to separate from his wife Tess (Laura Dern), move into a nondescript apartment and share joint custody of their sons Felix (Blake Kane) and Jude (Calvin Knegten). During this difficult time, Alex walks into the famed Comedy Cellar in New York City and, just like Bishop, signs up for the open mic night to swerve the fee, which changes his life for the better.
Is This Thing On? is a heartwarming, charming comedy that proves it’s never too late to try something new, get your spark back or find a new sense of purpose and community. Alex finds confidence and is reenergised by his new passion and Tess becomes attracted to his new version of her husband after years of watching him on autopilot. Tess, a former Olympic volleyball player, also decides it’s time to reconnect to who she used to be before her identity became wife and mother. By pursuing their passions, they find their way back to each other.
The film is very well-written and balances the laugh-out-loud comedy with grounded, and perhaps moving, dramatic moments. The stand-up comedy scenes are nerve-wracking because you don’t know if Alex is going to be a hit or if he will bomb. He’s rough around the edges and definitely needs a lot of practice, but he’s got raw talent. Arnett, who is best known for his comedies like Arrested Development and BoJack Horseman, had zero stand-up experience, but you would never know because he’s so good. I’ve never seen him in a dramatic role and I was impressed by his vulnerability and his ability to hold his own with the always-excellent Dern.
Cooper took the lead role in his previous two movies, but in this one, he takes a backseat and has a small part as their mutual friend Balls, an over-the-top committed actor who seems like he belongs in a different film. Why Andra Day‘s Christine – a smart, responsible woman – is married to him, I’ll never know.
You would never expect Cooper to direct a film based on the life of Bishop, but here we are. Is This Thing On? could have been terrible in a different pair of hands, but thanks to this winning script and Arnett and Dern’s strong performances, it’s a funny and heartfelt film.
In cinemas from Friday 30th January