Divorce is really tough, but nobody tells you how much harder it is once things are finalized. You have to rediscover yourself, and that can lead to some hard truths that people aren’t ready to face. That journey of self-discovery following separation is at the core of Bradley Cooper’s next directorial effort, Is This Thing On?, based on the true story of one man who found salvation as a stand-up comedian.
The film is based on the real life experiences of British comedian John Bishop, who serves as an exec-producer. Will Arnett stars as Alex, who is adrift after separating from his wife Tess, played by Laura Dern. To cope, Alex finds a new passion in stand-up comedy, learning more about himself and his relationship than he thought possible.
Cooper takes on multiple roles, serving as director, co-star, producer, and co-writer along with Arnett and Mark Chappell. The deep ensemble includes Andra Day, Ciaran Hinds, Amy Sedaris, Sean Hayes, Chloe Radcliffe, and Peyton Manning.
Arnett’s preparation for the role saw him doing live sets as Alex at comedy clubs multiple nights a week for six weeks. He told Vanity Fair that some nights he was a hit, other nights he shit the bed, and there’s emotional truth to be found in that.
“Not only is nobody laughing, but people have a look of disdain on their face, and there’s nowhere for me to hide,” he said.
Cooper doesn’t want people to see this as a midlife crisis movie, but a story of reinvention…
“This movie is not a midlife crisis—it’s a midlife catharsis,” Cooper said.
Is This Thing On? will be the closing night film at NYFF on October 10th. Following that, Searchlight Pictures will release it in theaters on December 19th.
