Is This Thing On?
Directed by Bradley Cooper
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. From TMDB
177 reactions from 3 sources (Bluesky, Mastodon, TMDB reviews) · newest Oct 7, 2026 · last updated Oct 13, 2026 · How this works
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| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluesky * | 34 | 9 | 75 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| TMDB reviews * | 2 | 0 | 1 |
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60 of 177 · most liked firstCan’t remember if I mentioned this already, but in IS THIS THING ON? (a movie I heartily disliked), the very first time Will Arnett goes on stage outside of an open mic—the very first time he is put on stage intentionally—he goes on between Sam Jay and Dave Attell. It is *wild*, as a man’s fantasy.
negative · AI labelView post →Dec. on Big Pic: 12/2 WAY OF WATER Watch-Along 12/4 Top 5 of '25 12/8 Golden Globes Noms 12/10 JAY KELLY 12/12 WAKE UP DEAD MAN 12/15 HAMNET 12/17 2022 Movie Draft 12/10 AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH 12/22 IS THIS THING ON? 12/24 MARTY SUPREME 12/26 25 for '25 - No 2 12/29 HOUSEMAID 12/31 25 for '25 - No 1
neutral · AI labelView post →Four Favorites with Will Arnett, Chloe Radcliffe, Jordan Jensen, Christine Ebersole, Blake Kane and Calvin Knegten at the 63rd New York Film Festival premiere of Bradley Cooper's Is This Thing On? 🎤
neutral · AI labelView post →Exclusive first look at the poster for Bradley Cooper’s Is This Thing On? starring Will Arnett and Laura Dern 🎤 The film premieres at the New York Film Festival on October 10 and will be released in theaters on December 19 via Searchlight Pictures.
neutral · AI labelView post →7) Is This Thing On? Utterly brilliant, funny and moving film about marriage, standup, family. (Forgot to add this yesterday) On general release on the 30th, go see it!
positive · AI labelView post →First May Last 4 Challengers (2024) Is This Thing On? (2025) Dust Bunny (2025) Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024) #letterboxdfriday #letterboxd #lastfourwatched #filmsky
neutral · AI labelView post →I make a lil cameo in the new Bradley Cooper movie IS THIS THING ON? Laura Dern loved my kermit the frog joke
neutral · AI labelView post →*taps mic* 🗣️🎤 IS THIS THING ON? 💖🧡💛💚💙💜 over at my discord, we're having our FIRST movie night!! 🌈⭐ (2/8) SATURDAY @ 8PM EST ⭐🌈 we'll be watching . . . ˚₊· ͟͟͞➳❥ CINNAMOROLL: the movie ୭ ˚.⁺⊹ .ᐟ ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა 🥧🍰 Ꮺ DM for the discord OR find it on my twitch panel!! (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*: ･ﾟ I'M SOSO EXCITEDD!! 💖🧡💛💚💙💜
neutral · AI labelView post →^ "'Is This Thing On?' is the best of the three films Cooper has directed, mainly because it’s the one that cares the least about impressing us." www.rogerebert.com/reviews/is-t...
neutral · AI labelView post →IS THIS THING ON? (2025) Streaming: March 20, 2026 Hulu #IsThisThingOn whentostream.com/bradley-coop...
neutral · AI labelView post →Is This Thing On? franksfilmreview.com/2026/01/11/i... Is This Thing On? is a rare gem of a film that sneaks up on viewers with its humor, heartfelt emotion, and refreshingly honest take on life’s unexpected challenges. Directed by Bradley Cooper, the story follows Alex Novak...
neutral · AI labelView post →Films that make us laugh rarely chime with awards juries. Bradley Cooper's movie about John Bishop's stand-up routine was unlikely to wow the Oscars. But Is This Thing On? pleased me; Will Arnett and Laura Dern are great, with a deft comic assist from Cooper. 4/5 film-authority.com/2026/01/26/i...
positive · AI labelView post →As others have said, "On the Nature of Daylight" needs to be retired in film, and if you ask me so does "Under Pressure," which scores the final heartwarming scenes of B. Cooper's IS THIS THING ON?.
negative · AI labelView post →IS THIS THING ON? (2025) Streaming: February 10, 2026 PVOD (Apple, Amazon, Fandango at Home, etc.) #IsThisThingOn whentostream.com/bradley-coop...
neutral · AI labelView post →Watching Carpenter's THE THING again to get ready for the new film IS THIS THING ON?
neutral · AI labelView post →Reviewed IS THIS THING ON? It's mostly really good! A movie about grown-ups for grown-ups! crookedmarquee.com/review-is-th...
positive · AI labelView post →I loved Bradley Cooper's IS THIS THING ON? I thought it was touching and funny throughout with fantastic performances from Arnett and Dern. #Firstwatches
positive · AI labelView post →The Oscars ceremony featured a joke about Will Arnett being ignored by the Academy. He absolutely should have received a nomination for Best Actor for his performance as Alex Novak in Is This Thing On?, a film that he co-wrote with Bradley Cooper. He is that good. Comedians... #FilmSky 📽 1/
neutral · AI labelView post →Is This Thing On? (2025) has a too-obvious title for a redemptive film about grownup relationships. Arnett and Dern are touching together; Bradley Cooper self-directs himself as the most vacuous P.O.S. you’ve ever seen, and it’s his most endearing performance.
neutral · AI labelView post →Working on a sight-unseen grand unified theory of "Is This Thing On?" and "Ella McCay" being two versions of the same movie, watch this space.
neutral · AI labelView post →Finally some man movies are coming to theaters! Here are a few thoughts about Is This Thing On? and Marty Supreme
neutral · AI labelView post →Went to the cinema to see Is This Thing On and I have to say thank you to Bradley Cooper. Movies like this don’t get made much anymore. It’s cute, definitely go see it at the cinema! Support the movie industry when you can 🫶🏻
positive · AI labelView post →IS THIS THING ON?: A tenderly observed film about growing older and having to reevaluate your notion of You. Bradley Cooper’s finest, quietest, least showy, most compassionate work. Also we expect this greatness from Laura Dern, but holy shit Will Arnett. A revelation.
positive · AI labelView post →IS THIS THING ON?: Not the movie I was expecting. Messy like life is messy, pieces don’t always fit but I appreciate that effort is made to keep that sloppy intimacy that feels genuine instead of something scripted. Will Arnett and Laura Dern make it work. Bradley Cooper is a good director.
positive · AI labelView post →Really enjoying The Celebrity Traitors (UK), which is chasing away the bad memories of the most recent US season. Fun fact! The real guy the movie Is This Thing On? is based on is one of the contestants in this season. (He looks and acts nothing like Will Arnett.)
neutral · AI labelView post →Christy @christylemire.bsky.social and Alonso @aduralde.bsky.social are working up a tight ten on Is This Thing On? #filmsky 📽
neutral · AI labelView post →Red Carpet Rundown: Bradley Cooper, Laura Dern, Will Arnett and Audra Day work their looks at the BFI London Film Festival premiere of #IsThisThingOn tomandlorenzo.com/2025/10/bfi-...
neutral · AI labelView post →i just watched IS THIS THING ON? and if you’ve ever been in a relationship or have kids or have had your heart broken or have worried about someone you love or have tried and failed to be better and have then tried again anyway and you watch this movie well you’re gonna cry so fuckin hard buddy
positive · AI labelView post →Newsom’s speaking voice reminds me of Will Arnett being an asshole too, maybe Arnett can play Newsom in a movie where the Governor throws the possessions of an unhoused person into a blast furnace: IS THIS THING ON? PART 2
neutral · AI labelView post →I had a great week of film. Started with a revisit of SCREAM. Hit rock bottom with WHISTLE. Frustrated with how the latter handled the concept of a curse I revisited SMILE 2 and it still rules. Then took in IS THIS THING ON? - which is a really nuanced and lovely character study. #LastFourWatched
positive · AI labelView post →I saw a screening of Is This Thing On? before Christmas & it comes out officially today. Directed by Bradley Cooper, it’s a lovely movie about a guy trying to rebuild his marriage by doing stand up comedy, set in America but based on the life of the great John Bishop. I recommend trying to catch it!
positive · AI labelView post →it certainly did not help that i rewatched Close Encounters of the Third Kind before watching Is This Thing On?, because the contrast *really* highlighted how absolutely full of shit it is as a "divorce" movie
negative · AI labelView post →Caught IS THIS THING ON? last night. The kind of film that would’ve been nominated for Best Picture a decade ago, but sadly has minimal buzz or promotion. I’m here to tell you it’s marvelous. Funny. Heartbreaking. Uplifting. Zigs when you expect a zag. Will Arnett in more dramedies, please.
positive · AI labelView post →i can't stand long asmr previews. 30 seconds or less babes no need to spoil the whole video [ #jirai #jiraidon #isthisthingon ]
neutral · AI labelView post →Watching “Is This Thing On?” Really empathize with Laura Dern’s character. Her reaction was so much like mine when I discovered @msbonnielynne.bsky.social was doing standup. Movie is okay. Kinda dry. I expect more of Bradley Cooper #FilmSky 🎥 #movies #moviesky
neutral · AI labelView post →Saw Is This Thing On? (new Laura Dern and Will Arnett movie). Found it boring and full of unlikable characters whose motivations flip-flopped. Unnatural dialogue, some baffling camera placement choices- whole thing felt like a mediocre 90s or early 2000s directorial debut. Also not funny
negative · AI labelView post →Follow up. Movie was so good. I thought it’d be more depressing but Will Arnett and Laura Dern were both fantastic. See it if you can. Trailer: Is This Thing On? youtu.be/JQTcHza5SOA?...
positive · AI labelView post →"I was unhappy in our marriage; I wasn't unhappy with our marriage." I enjoyed IS THIS THING ON? Cooper lets the film be as messy as its subject matter (complimentary). Arnett and Dern navigate marital woes with hope and grace, adorably "broken" together. A bit too loosey-goosey, but has a big 🖤.
positive · AI labelView post →There are some flimsily drawn characters in Is This Thing On?, but Laura Dern and Will Arnett are good in it. They ground the film and bring forth a fascinating vulnerability in the comedy. Bradley Cooper makes some interesting choices behind the camera and is utterly absurd in front of it lol.
neutral · AI labelView post →I largely really liked IS THIS THING ON?. Cooper trying to make a Jim Brooks movie. He mostly pulls it off.
positive · AI labelView post →Reviews are in from the NYFF premiere of Bradley Cooper’s Is This Thing On? starring Will Arnett & Laura Dern. See it in theaters December 19. www.metacritic.com/movie/is-thi...
neutral · AI labelView post →Bradley Cooper's third feature Is This Thing On?, starring Will Arnett and Laura Dern, will world premiere as the Closing Night selection of NYFF.
neutral · AI labelView post →My ★★★½ review of Is This Thing On? on @letterboxd: boxd.it/dIr7nv #265moviereview #isthisthingon #hulu #filmsky 📽️
positive · AI labelView post →Bradley Cooper's Is This Thing On? aims to “capture the essence” of comedian John Bishop’s life story. “It was like watching a memory,” Bishop tells Empire of seeing the film for the first time with his wife. Read more: empireonline.com/movies/news/...
neutral · AI labelView post →Is This Thing On? is listed as as a Comedy. I would probably say it’s more of a Drama. Which, am I wrong, but is standard for movies about people doing comedy? Like, there’s funny bits in their routines on stage, but off stage is a disaster? #LetterboxdFriday #LastFourWatched
neutral · AI labelView post →"Is This Thing On" is a lovely movie for adults, the kind that don't get made much any more. Super solid date movie for married/long term couples but fun for everyone. Bradley Cooper is become quite a good director and also plays a hilarious role in it & yes, Peyton Manning is briefly real good too
positive · AI labelView post →I watched "Is This Thing On" tonight. I really liked it, even if it is a little dark. My dad is a stand-up comedienne. She inspires me. And I have been writing bits lately. I just don’t know if I will ever have the courage to get up on stage and perform them. anyway, good movie 
positive · AI labelView post →I watched Is This Thing On last night - good movie! I was particularly impressed with Will Arnett. For someone who usually does comedy, he gave a fantastic dramatic performance 👍 #filmsky
positive · AI labelView post →Just watched "Is This Thing On?" #FilmSky 📽️🎥 Always been a fan of Will Arnett and of Laura Dern, but this is worth it beyond that. A bit of intentional cringe at times, but a very believable love/hate story.
positive · AI labelView post →Will Arnett delivers just the right amount of self-deprecation in a grown-up comedy based on the life of UK comedian John Bishop. Mark Asch reviews Is This Thing On?, in cinemas now. www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-so...
neutral · AI labelView post →Now seated for IS THIS THING ON? #filmsky
neutral · AI labelView post →Also, see Will Arnett's movie IS THIS THING ON?, it's really wonderful... www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv...
neutral · AI labelView post →📽️ #FilmSky #NowWatching Is This Thing On? (2025) Dir. Bradley Cooper
neutral · AI labelView post →Best painting of ‘Coffee in a Cave’ by B.Hutch. Best movie about a comedy club — ‘Is This Thing On?’ …Hey @rollovereasy.org our city is bathed in morning sun & we get to wear one less layer ☀️
neutral · AI labelView post →Bradley Cooper's Is This Thing On? establishes a peculiar pace, and it’s one of the film’s greatest pleasures.
positive · AI labelView post →Here's my review of IS THIS THING ON?, Bradley Cooper's third straight film as a director that could have been titled WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED LOVE?
neutral · AI labelView post →30 - Is This Thing On? I should get back into stand-up. Like, I'm happy for Will Arnett and the movie was good and all, a really pleasant good ending version of Marriage Story and everything, but my first set went way better just saying
positive · AI labelView post →#5SecondReview: Is This Thing On? Will Arnett as a 50yo separated man using open mic comedy as a means of dealing with his marital issues is something I didn't know I needed. And Laura Dern as his unhappy wife? 100% authentic. Small movie, but a big win for director Bradley Cooper. Recommend.
positive · AI labelView post →Streaming this Week: • Wicked For Good flies to Peacock • Invincible S4 premieres on Prime Video • Peaky Blinders movie on Netflix • Is This Thing On? hits Disney+ • Solo Mio on Angel • AND MORE! streamscoop.substack.com/p/wicked-for...
neutral · AI labelView post →#NowWatching in theaters #IsThisThingOn #FilmSky
neutral · AI labelView post →
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