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[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Is This Thing On combina comedia y drama para contar una historia que va más allá del escenario. Lo que comienza como una exploración del mundo del stand-up se transforma en un retrato de inseguridades, fracasos y la necesidad de **** película juega constantemente con la línea entre lo divertido y lo incómodo, utilizando el humor como una herramienta para revelar aspectos más profundos de sus personajes. Este enfoque le permite construir momentos que no solo hacen reír, sino también **** ritmo puede sentirse irregular en algunos tramos, pero su autenticidad compensa esas fallas. Como dato curioso, muchas historias ambientadas en el stand-up suelen inspirarse en experiencias reales de comediantes, lo que explica la sensación de cercanía en varios **** es una comedia convencional, pero sí una propuesta que logra encontrar su propia voz.

will arnett was very good, and laura dern was, of course, excellent - she's laura dern. my only complaint - a good amount of the dialogue sounded like it came from a screen writer or a psychologist, rather than a regular person.

I don’t know if I should write a review since so many people seem to like this movie. Maybe it’s just me that thinks it was a boring, annoying slog through middle-aged who gives a sh-t Hell. It was so long. Two hours, but felt like three. It’s not like I was expecting a hilarious, action-packed movie. I went in looking for a quiet, intimate kind of thing. But my god, it was tedious. I was watching with my wife, so I stuck it out to the end trying not to squirm too much or show my annoyance in case she was enjoying it. (Turns out she kind of liked it. Didn’t love it, but enjoyed it. There you go: a bonus review in my review.)

Just not compelling enough. The stand-up comedy would likely get him booed off most stages. The narrative is muddled: middle-aged divorce that leads to the husband and wife exploring new opportunities. Cooper borrows elements of David O. Russell's "Silver Linings Playbook" but the script and actors just are not up to the task.

It's on. It's functional. It's real. The preview showing Will Arnett's "comedy" bits had me thinking "this guy is not funny, so I'm not going buy into his journey." it's a modest tangent to his and his ex's split. Call it one of those earnest looks into a fraught time in a relationship. It's interesting enough to care a bit. It stands up to emotional scrutiny.

Bradley Cooper kind of steps back from the spotlight (he still invented a role for himself and worked as a camera operator?) to direct a more intimate film that doesn't feel like blatant Oscar bait. ‘Is This Thing On?’ examines the complexities of marriage and the challenges of navigating a midlife crisis through a remarriage movie, which first half focuses on stand-up comedy (a mediocre one, by the way) as therapy. Of course, the chemistry between Will Arnett and Laura Dern is the best part of it; the flawed couple they portray feels genuine. However, an unjustified length, excessive redundancy in the last act, and an uneven tone prevent it from truly transcending into something like ‘A Marriage Story.’

Decided to take a punt on this and so glad I did. Really enjoyed it. Had humour and made you think as well. Great performances from all. The children were excellent.

It’s smart, funny, and fresh, but what really gives life to ‘This Thing’ is the plethora of brilliantly written not-quite-essential moments that bestow depth and realism upon the throughline.

Suburban Life. Americans are getting rich - they have choices when it comes to jobs. The movie over-relies on embarrassment for humour. Unconvincing ending - relationships are partnerships, and benefits are explored in the film but essential partnership qualities, for example, trust are not. The ending only makes sense for me, if the characters are spaced out.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Stand-up comedy is one-man’s idea of therapy in Is This Thing On?, a movie that speaks to the importance of holding onto what you love even as responsibilities mount. Will Arnett gives a career-defining performance in this funny and heartfelt movie about overwhelmed, middle-aged adults. Highly Recommended. detroitcineaste

Will Arnett plays a man whose marriage is falling apart, so he starts to perform in New York’s stand-up comedy scene. The plot’s potential sounds better than the result. First off, even though the Comedy Cellar’s audience is laughing, his routines are not funny. Meanwhile, his encounters with his estranged wife (Laura Dern) become more and more tedious as they dissect their relationship’s failure. Surprisingly, Arnett is known for his comedy chops, but here he’s going against type for a dramatic portrayal. Dern brings radiance to her role and their family moments are the only bright spots, including the winning performances from their sons (Blake Kane & Calvin Knegten). Bradley Cooper directed (and has a supporting role), but his determination to make this a warm relationship drama undermines any potential for amusement, while dragging down the potential with dull dialogue. There’s promise here, but it doesn’t completely succeed in the comedy or drama aspects.Interesting trivia: Sean Hayes has a small part and his real-life husband Scott Icenogle (a composer on “Will and Grace”) plays his partner in the film.

Came in with high hopes, left wondering how this ever got a green-light. Whoever signed off on this should be banned from making date-night movies for life. It’s a flat, joyless slog that leaves you feeling more drained than entertained. And if you’re going to make a movie about a guy “finding his voice” in stand-up comedy, here’s a radical idea: let him be funny at least once before the credits roll.

It lost momentum midway through. Was meant to be a heartwarming family themed movie fell flat. The chemistry behind the Main character and his dad was not convincing. this movie could have been more but I felt the writing was amateur. The couples friends were annoying and broke out into singing amazing grace over breakfast for no apparent reason whatsoever.

"Is This Thing On?" is an honest look at marriage and finding meaning in all the problems around you with career best performances by Will Arnett and Laura Dern. Inspired by the life of British comedian John Bishop, Bradley Cooper directs a film that embraces the messiness of life and suggests that you are never too old to rediscover yourself. Once college sweethearts, Alex and Tess Novak now find themselves entrenched in the quiet unraveling of a middle-aged marriage edging toward divorce. As they navigate the emotional minefield of co-parenting, Tess, once an Olympic volleyball star, grapples with the personal sacrifices she made to keep their family afloat. Meanwhile, Alex, struggling to define his identity outside his role as husband and father, stumbles upon The Comedy Cellar he presumes in just a bar where he can get a drink and signs up for an open-mic comedy night to be able to get in and unexpectedly finds a lifeline. Much like Rachel Brosnahan's character Midge Maisel in hit series "The Marvelous Mrs Maisel," Alex finds catharsis in comedy, using the stage to channel his anger and confusion. But unlike Midge, his jokes do not always land. Still, he persists, week after week, gradually immersing himself in the raw, unpredictable world of amateur stand-up. The film introduces a vibrant, offbeat community of aspiring comedians where camaraderie, chaos, and the occasional moment of brilliance mix under dim lights and the smell of spilled beer. Bradley Cooper (Maestro, A Star Is Born) returns both behind and in front of the camera in this poignant, dramatic comedy about rediscovery, reinvention, and resilience. At its heart, Will Arnett, who has never had a dramatic lead role like this in his career before just knocks it out of the park and gives a raw vulnerable performance as Alex Novak, a weary husband and father who secretly falls in love with stand-up comedy. Laura Dern delivers a layered performance as Tess, a woman navigating bitterness, grief, and lingering ambition in the wake of a life spent in support of others. Cooper’s direction brings an almost documentary-like authenticity to the setting, capturing the smoky, boozy, and often bruising atmosphere of small-time comedy clubs with remarkable precision. From the world-weary wisdom of the club owner to the bonds between performers, every detail feels lifted straight from real life. Yet the heart of the film lies in the deeply human story of a family in flux. The Novak household is rendered with such intimacy and truthfulness that it borders on uncomfortable: curious kids, meddling parents, friends who take sides, and others who simply wish everyone would move on. The emotional push and pull between Alex and Tess as they try to make sense of a relationship that no longer fits is both heartbreaking and beautifully observed. "Is This Thing On?" is a soulful, sharply drawn exploration of life after love and the unexpected places we go to find ourselves again. It is a smart and optimistic look at how even the worst circumstances can lead to something beautiful.

The film wants us to care about the central couple, played so well by Will Arnett and Laura Dern, but how can you care about people without any reality. Surrounded by annoying friends, repeating themselves, well, repeatedly, is no help. The world of stand-up is presented as an alternative to personal therapy, which good material may prove to be true. But here the writers are content to just use the comedy scene as an accessory. Worst of all is the ending, so unapologetically feel-good that I left the theatre feeling as though i'd just had an overshare of cotton candy.

Clearly Cooper wanted to make a film that was smaller in scope after his more ambitious efforts like "Star is Born" and "Maestro," but I absolutely detested this when I saw it at NYFF. It hopes to combine elements of a stand-up comedy portrait and a marriage drama, but fails spectacularly at both. The stand-up elements seem incredibly inauthentic. Arnett's stand-up is sloppy and unfunny (not just my opinion but what other stand-ups say in the film) but he keeps getting asked back, to The Comedy Cellar, no less. I know he's based on an actual comic, but then Cooper should have just made this a biopic rather than something so loosely inspired. Poor Laura Dern is the MVP of this but is also completely wasted in her role. The film really favors Arnett and even has Dern getting turned on when she catches him insulting her with jokes onstage. (what are the odds that in all of Manhattan, Laura and her date Peyton Manning(!) just happen to pick The Comedy Cellar as a place for an after dinner drink?) There's just so little structure or satisfying arc to this story. Supporting players have almost nothing to do, including Cooper as a scene-stealing best friend who never steals any scenes. This is just awful. I would be kinder to it if it wasn't being touted as a great film and worthy of awards, but this closing night film of NYFF was one of the worst showings that I've ever seen at the festival. Even the audience was dead quiet during the film, but you can bet they all leapt to their feet when Bradley took the stage.

When did marriage vows incorporate the promise of living an inviolable life of happily ever after? It often feels like many of those who enter into such a contract believe that there’s supposed to be an inherent entitlement to perpetual wedded bliss, but, as they often discover, that proves not to be the case. So then what? Where do couples who’ve hit rough patches go from there? For most, it’s often separation and/or divorce, but is that really the most effective solution? As this latest offering from writer-actor-director Bradley Cooper illustrates, the trouble may lie with considerations other than a husband and wife’s compatibility – and if that issue proves not to be at fault, continued happiness might ensue, and no need for a parting of the ways may be required. Having been married for 20 years, Alex Novak (Will Arnett) and his wife, Tess (Laura Dern), have found their marriage faltering, but they don’t seem particularly hostile toward one another. Still, they decide to separate and begin investigating divorce. However, why would they go this route if they don’t feel contempt for one another or a lack of chemistry between them, especially given the complex logistics involved in expenses, setting up two households and figuring out how to share custody of their two sons (Blake Kane, Calvin Knegten). Perhaps their difficulty rests more with a lack of personal fulfillment in their individual lives than in the nature of their relationship. And having some time apart may be just the ticket to learning this and finding a way to restore the missing individual satisfaction that has made each of them feel unfulfilled (and thereby affecting the character of their marriage). For Tess, this means exploring the possibility of getting into coaching women’s volleyball, a sport she once excelled at herself. And, for Alex, it involves an impromptu stab at stand-up comedy at a New York open mic night, a lark that ends up proving to be a talent he never knew he possessed and that gives him enjoyment, recognition and an informal but viable form of therapy that helps him get his life back on track. Their respective endeavors change the way they see themselves and their relationship. But, since they’ve publicly proclaimed their intention to part company, what do they do now that they’ve discovered that their marriage may not be the problem after all? Do they keep up the pretense of separation, or do they bite the bullet and announce that initiating divorce proceedings was a mistake? In that regard, then, the film’s title thus becomes an ironic double entendre, one that characterizes the resurgent on-again/off-again nature of their relationship, in addition to a common face-saving observation comedians make about the alleged malfunctioning of their on-stage microphones when a routine appears to be heading south. “Is This Thing On?” provides viewers with not only an intriguing look at the world of stand-up, but also how an impulsive venture might unwittingly help to transform an unsatisfying life into something richly rewarding at a time when such a change is least expected. Its **** nature, coming at a seemingly inopportune time, reveals much that had long been hidden, breathing new life into an undertaking that was nearly (and erroneously) written off for good. And it accomplishes this with a frankness and honesty rarely seen in movies about relationships, both with a partner and with oneself. This is largely made possible by the superb performances of Arnett, who shows off acting chops many of us probably never knew he possessed, and Dern, who turns in yet another signature portrayal, continuing to illustrate the tremendous range she possesses as an actress. It’s been disappointing to see this release shut out of awards season consideration thus far, but here’s hoping that turns around in the remaining competitions. And, from where I stand, that’s no laughing matter.