A smart, emotionally observant divorce dramedy with a strong New York-comedy-scene texture and a sincere interest in middle-aged reinvention. It sounds most rewarding when it leans into awkward humor, co-parenting realism, and the question of whether a marriage can transform rather than simply end, though the tonal… Read more
Is This Thing On?
Where to watch: Buy
Movie · Comedy · Drama
Fri · 2h 1m
Director: Bradley Cooper
Starring: Will Arnett, Laura Dern, Andra Day
Overview
As their marriage quietly unravels, Alex faces middle age and an impending divorce, seeking new purpose in the New York comedy scene while Tess confronts the sacrifices she made for their family—forcing them to navigate co-parenting, identity, and whether love can take a new form.
Director
Bradley Cooper
Cast
Will Arnett, Laura Dern, Andra Day
Curator Review
Verdict
A smart, emotionally observant divorce dramedy with a strong New York-comedy-scene texture and a sincere interest in middle-aged reinvention. It sounds most rewarding when it leans into awkward humor, co-parenting realism, and the question of whether a marriage can transform rather than simply end, though the tonal blend may feel uneven for viewers wanting either sharper comedy or deeper melodrama.
Best for
fans of adult relationship dramas
viewers who like bittersweet comedy
people drawn to New York-set character studies
audiences interested in midlife reinvention
fans of intimate, performance-driven films
Skip if
you want a fast-paced comedy
you prefer broadly likable romantic leads
you dislike divorce-centered stories
you want a more conventional rom-com payoff
you are looking for high-energy stand-up comedy rather than emotional fallout
Overview
Is This Thing On? sits in that appealingly uncomfortable space where a breakup becomes a second coming-of-age. The setup is familiar, but the New York comedy backdrop gives it a lived-in, slightly desperate energy, and the story seems most interested in the humiliations and small consolations of starting over in midlife.
Worth noting
What stands out is the film’s emotional angle: it doesn’t treat divorce as a clean ending, but as a messy reconfiguration of identity, parenting, and affection. That makes it feel more humane than cynical, even when the jokes land in a painfully specific way.
Bottom line
The likely appeal here is in the performances and the tonal balance, not in plot surprises. If you like your relationship movies a little bruised, a little funny, and a little sad, this should connect. If you need the comedy to dominate, or the romance to resolve neatly, it may feel more tentative than satisfying.
Top Letterboxd reviews
James (Schaffrillas) (3★) · 5815 likes
Oh, sure, Laura Dern, why don't you go ahead and divorce the guy who's wearing a $5000 suit, COME ON
Karsten (3.5★) · 4343 likes
another coop film where he’s Working Through It. huge win for the bojack horseman community, bradley cooper is basically playing mr peanut butter. need more movies about how everyone should find a hobby
stavvybaby2 (3★) · 3142 likes
Movie was good but if a divorced open micer tried to talk to me and my friends at the comedy cellar for longer than 10 seconds we would beat him over the head with a spiked baseball bat
sivi (3★) · 2470 likes
so funny to say "i know a great place around the corner" and it's fully the comedy cellar
davidehrlich (3★) · 2420 likes
100% doing this when my marriage implodes. shoutout to Bradley Cooper for casting himself as a character named "Balls." (and then somehow elevating Balls into the best part of the movie)
divorce drama, romantic dramedy, New York City, middle-aged crisis, stand-up comedy, co-parenting, bittersweet, relationship realism, indie character study, midlife reinvention