Is This Thing On?
Click the pic below for my FOX19 Extra review of Is This Thing On?!
Scroll down for my full Report Card Review!
As their marriage unravels, Alex (Will Arnett) faces middle age and divorce, seeking new purpose in the New York comedy scene. Meanwhile, his wife Tess (Laura Dern) confronts sacrifices made for their family, forcing them to navigate co-parenting and identities.
STORY: C+
More charm than insight.
The story trots along at a brisk pace, bouncing back and forth between the world of stand-up comedy and the hurdles of trying to put your life back in order. It pulls you in and keeps you there.
The writers identify something poignant: marriage and life change people, also changing a relationship’s dynamic. However, it doesn’t go much more than pointing it out. It doesn’t wrestle with the ideas it invokes. Many may see themselves in the characters, but few will walk away with a new perspective.
PEOPLE: B-
Arnett and Dern shine despite shaky casting choices.
The story of this film is Arnett’s performance. We know he’s a funny guy. We know his snark is always next level. But this role lets him show what else he can do: create a fully realized, sympathetic character who we genuinely care for.
You’ll never go wrong casting the incredible Laura Dern. She, as always, is fantastic. But other choices are odd, notably casting Peyton Manning as Tess’s friend, Laird.
Manning delivers a fine performance, but it’s hard to see a character instead of a quarterback. As he did with so many passing records, Manning’s presence shatters our suspension of disbelief, taking us out of the flow.
FILM NERD STUFF: B
The camera gets inside Arnett’s head.
Whenever Alex performs on stage, Bradley Cooper uses extensive closeup shots. We can’t get away from him, just as Alex can’t get away from his own thoughts and feelings. We identify with him, and our empathy grows.
Cooper also uses a lot of hand-held camera, bouncing up and down as the operator (who very often is Cooper himself) follows Alex. There's little smooth, gliding movement. The shakiness reflects the uneven ground Alex’s new reality sits upon.
ONE BIG LESSON: C
Remember the past, forget the past.
Long term relationships are bound to change people. If they don’t, it’s fair to wonder what the whole point is.
Here’s the rub: the two people who fell in love are no longer those two people. How do we reconcile the difference between who we were and who we are (as a couple and as individuals)? Can we be both?
It’s a question the film raises, but never truly grapples with.
FINAL COMMENTS:
This movie’s done at a much smaller scale than Cooper’s previous two films. On one hand, that intimacy pays off in producing some of the most affecting sequences he’s ever done. On the other hand, narrowing his focus doesn’t result in more depth.
But that lack of depth isn’t enough to sink Is This Thing On?. Far from it. It’s funny, but it shines its brightest during quieter moments that explore the gut-punching consequences you don’t think of when you decide to split.
It’s a charming film and definitely worth the watch.