‘IS THIS THING ON?’ Mic Checks a Middle-Aged Marriage

Alex Novak is checked out. From his marriage. From himself. From whatever once brought him joy. The first moment we meet Alex, played with hangdog affability by Will Arnett, he amicably agrees to a separation with his wife Tess (Laura Dern, wonderful here) while they brush their teeth together. Their pending separation is met with all the nonchalance of agreeing on where to get Sunday night takeout. Because Alex Novak is checked out.

Is This Thing On?, the third film from director Bradley Cooper and maybe his most intimately human yet, is a movie title doing dual work. On one hand, it alludes to Alex’s serendipitous discovery of stand-up comedy, which becomes a form of therapy for the withdrawn husband and father, a place where he can finally say the things he probably should have been saying to his wife for years. But more important, the thing being turned on is Alex himself, deep in the throes of whatever flavor of midlife crisis he’s found himself in. And from that comes a kind-hearted, gently observant movie about reigniting your spark, leaving your comfort zone, and navigating the trials of long-term commitment.

Cooper’s film, working from a screenplay Arnett co-wrote with John Bishop and Mark Chappell, succeeds because of its deep and unshakable investment in character. Alex is drawn with dimension, flawed but sympathetic, funny but tinged with sadness. He’s got “midlife crisis” written all over him, but his earnestness ingratiates him to the local NYC open mic scene. Tess too is a nuanced portrait of a woman at a turning point. She’s no longer the Olympic athlete her husband fell for, and she’s not content to play the supporting role of mother-wife indefinitely.

Arnett, a lifelong comedy actor (though his finest work might still be his voice performance in the not-a-comedy animated series BoJack Horseman), shines in his first live-action dramatic role. He’s magnetic, the camera often pushed in tight on his face, capturing the nerves of his early stand-up sets and the growing confidence that follows. Dern is as good as she’s ever been as Tess, a woman just as committed to forward motion—coaching volleyball instead of clinging to her player glory days—as she is to handling their separation with grace and pragmatic clarity. After all, their two boys come first.
But it’s the chemistry between these two veteran performers that really powers the low-key charm of Is This Thing On? Dern and Arnett share a spark that underlines the characters’ seismic push and pull. As their separation stumbles and threatens to become a maybe-secret-rekindling, their connection burns up the screen. The supporting cast, including a small role for Bradley Cooper as a perpetually clueless stoner with top-tier facial hair, reinforces the lived-in feel of Alex and Tess’s story. The film’s loose, dialogue-driven rhythm tips its hat to ensemble hangouts like The Big Chill, or to domestic marriage dramedies in the vein of Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.

For all its warmth and lived-in charm, though, the film can feel a bit strained, especially in its final stretch. Some of the larger emotional blowups emerge from fairly small triggers, their intensity a touch overstated. Those moments don’t sink the film by any means, but they do slightly fray the naturalistic rhythm that makes the rest so affecting.

Cooper’s direction is sharp and focused on character, letting the performances lead without drawing attention to itself. It’s never showy, but always present, gently guiding the story with intimacy and care allowing Is This Thing On? to bloom into a rare dramatic comedy – one that handles the complications of love with honesty and insight. It never undercuts its characters with cheap melodrama or surprise dramatic rug-pulls, opting instead for a depth of feeling that’s honest, lived-in, and quietly resonant. It’s real, and deeply human, which makes it all the more enjoyable. By its conclusion, this thing was most certainly on.

CONCLUSION: Will Arnett erupts onto the screen as a real dramatic actor in Bradley Cooper’s thoughtfully funny ‘Is This Thing On?’, a midlife crisis story that tackles themes of commitment and purpose with striking clarity. Laura Dern, unsurprisingly, remains a standout.