Bradley Cooper Directs New Dramedy, Is This Thing On?
Two years after his Oscar-nominated biopic Maestro, Bradley Cooper is back in the director’s chair with his new film Is This Thing On?, starring Will Arnett and Laura Dern. It follows a couple, Alex and Tess, who both know that their marriage and relationship are sadly falling apart, and that divorce is on the horizon, leading to Alex trying his hand at stand-up comedy. It releases later this month- here’s everything we know so far:
What is Is This Thing On about?
Brits may be bemused to learn that the Hollywood production is in fact loosely based on the life of John Bishop, the Liverpudlian comedian best known for his stand-up and TV work like Doctor Who. Bishop lends his hand to writing the story alongside Will Arnett, who plays his (American) onscreen counterpart Alex. Having been together for years, Alex and Tess (Dern) have realised that things are no longer working out, and that it’s time to part ways. Rather than a bitter divorce, they decide to end things amicably and separate smoothly. However, divorce is never easy, and both discover how tricky it is to split while raising two boys and ensuring things aren’t disruptive for them.
As all of this is going on, Alex gets the idea to try his hand at stand-up comedy, a hobby which he finds can vent his emotions and frustrations with life. He views his material more as relatable stories and somewhat humorous tales from his years of marriage, rather than jokes. While he moves along in the New York comedy scene, Tess becomes reflective of the sacrifices she made to maintain a family. With both now in middle age, Alex and Tess feel like they need a change in their life: “This movie is not a midlife crisis — it’s a midlife catharsis”, said Bradley Cooper in an interview with Vanity Fair.
Who else stars, and is there a release date?
The first teaser trailer for the film mostly centres on Alex’s debut comedy set, but ends with him saying goodbye to Tess and saying “I’ll be okay” in a very shaky voice. Meanwhile, the cast also includes Cooper himself, who’ll be playing the role of Alex’s friend Arnie, as well as Andra Day (The Deliverance), Amy Sedaris (The Lion King), Sean Hayes (Am I OK?), and Ciarán Hinds (Belfast). It’s set to release on 14th October in the UK.
