Bradley Cooper’s new comic drama Is This Thing On? is far from being a terrible movie, but it is important to note it is hardly a great one either. For one of Hollywood’s more enthusiastically celebrated actor-turned-directors, it a surprisingly mediocre work. Some good performances by very talented actors are not enough to make this worth your while.

Alex (Will Arnett) and Tess Novak (Laura Dern) have come to an amicable separation after 20 years of marriage. While emotionally struggling with his impending divorce, Alex impulsively signs up for an open mic stand-up comedy night, and discovers an unexpected avenue through which he can resolve his feelings and find a new enthusiasm for life.

The mockery towards Is This Thing On effectively writes itself: Alex as good as personifies the pent-up white middle-aged man who, unable to countenance the idea of undertaking therapy or positive mental health care, looks for any other avenue in life to express his feelings. In his case, it is loudly working through his emotional turmoil in monologues to a paying audience. It seems a rather crass thing to do to his ex-wife, and one waits for the proverbial shoe to drop as the film develops, but instead the screenplay (by Arnett, Cooper, and Mark Chappell) is remarkably forgiving of his behaviour.

The film is remarkably forgiving of people in general. It seems particular easy on Alex and Tess’ friends Christine (Andra Day) and Balls (Cooper), who are risibly unappealing, deeply irritating to watch, and seem – even more than the Novaks – to possess a vast and illusory annual income that affords them both a large city apartment and a two-story country house. (This, at least in part, on Balls’ unemployed actor salary.) It is no fault of the cast’s; the film is simply saddled with a particularly weak screenplay.

The film is mostly shot in handheld extreme close-ups, which I suppose is intended to emphasise the fear and stress of performing in front of a live audience. In practice it feels like being cornered by one of those personal space-invading close talkers at a particularly tiresome house party. At its most egregious moments it almost makes one want to gnaw off their own arm just to escape the conversation.

Will Arnett and Andra Day give decent performances, but they are saddled with poor characters. Bradley Cooper is weirdly irritating as Balls – his name is perhaps thankfully never explained – and may have done better casting another actor in the role rather than play triple duty as writer, director, and supporting player. Laura Dern is, predictably, fabulous, and she receives the benefit of playing the film’s sole fully identifiable and likeable character. It is a pity there is not a better film to support her work. It is even more of a pity to see the oft-underrated Ciarán Hinds delivering a brilliant turn as Alex’s father. It just might be the best work he has ever done.

The screenplay consists of one contrivance after another to make the plot work, with its writers all the time seemingly hoping their audience will not notice. Weirdly, the film is inspired by the life of British comedian John Bishop, who is also an actor. It is a wonder he did not make something out of this story himself, rather than farm it out for such a weak adaptation.

Again, Is This Thing On? is not the worst Hollywood comedy-drama you are likely to find, but it is ultimately a deeply mediocre one. Its cast deserve better, but more importantly the audience deserves better.

Is This Thing On? opens in Australian cinemas on 5 February 2026.