Is This Thing On?

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2:23

Is This Thing On?

R

In Theaters Dec 19

2h 4m

Comedy

Drama

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Popcornmeter

91%

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55 Reviews

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As their marriage quietly unravels, Alex (Will Arnett) faces middle age and an impending divorce, seeking new purpose in the New York comedy scene while Tess (Laura Dern) confronts the sacrifices she made for their family--forcing them to navigate co-parenting, identity, and whether love can take a new form.

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Critics Consensus

Mining sly humor from its mature portrait of a failing marriage, Is This Thing On? is another terrific relationship study from Bradley Cooper and an ideal platform for Will Arnett's dramatic chops.

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Bradley Cooper

Director

Will Arnett

Alex Novak

Laura Dern

Tess Novak

Andra Day

Actor

Bradley Cooper

Actor

Amy Sedaris

Actor

Jesse Hassenger

AV Club

Nov 14

B-

Is This Thing On? obviously prides itself in dropping into the action without a lot of exposition, yet Cooper can’t resist circling back for some arguments that fill in those missing details.

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Billie Melissa

Newsweek

Oct 21

[It] reminds us that there is a possibility to restore the relationships we feel slipping through our fingers if we meet our friends and family where they're at, and allow them to flourish in new ways, as well as giving ourselves the same grace.

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Kyle Smith

Wall Street Journal

Oct 16

The routines that are meant to show off his talent are a weak point, though the movie picks up considerably in its second half, which underlines how marriages benefit from communication.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

1d

3.5/5

Much like his previous two efforts, the intensely hands-on Cooper once again shows his love for character-centric, emotionally resonant stories rooted in human experience.

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

3d

6/10

It's a dramedy by Cooper that, despite the natural performances from Will Arnett and Laura Dern, lacks emotion and becomes repetitive in portraying marital crisis and divorce in midlife. [Full review in Spanish]

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Don Shanahan

Film Obsessive

Nov 27

5/5

Is This Thing On? asks incredible and intelligent questions that actually get chewed on with civility and dignity, ignoring the urge to shout hot drops of dialogue to the rhetorical rafters solely meant to let an actor show off.

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Is This Thing On?: Trailer 1

2:23

Is This Thing On?: Teaser Trailer

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Synopsis

As their marriage quietly unravels, Alex (Will Arnett) faces middle age and an impending divorce, seeking new purpose in the New York comedy scene while Tess (Laura Dern) confronts the sacrifices she made for their family--forcing them to navigate co-parenting, identity, and whether love can take a new form.

Director: Bradley Cooper
Producer: Bradley Cooper, Weston Middleton, Will Arnett, Kris Thykier
Screenwriter: Will Arnett, Mark Chappell, Bradley Cooper
Distributor: Searchlight Pictures
Production Co: Electric Avenue Productions, Lea Pictures
Rating: R (Language Throughout|Some Drug Use|Sexual References)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 19, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 2h 4m