The film, loosely based on comedian John Bishop’s life, is heartfelt and earnest but does take a little bit of time to get going.
It is not often I say this but it has to be said that the title ‘Is This Thing On’ is a wonderful title which encapsulates the two narrative strands that this film brings together: the complexity of a marriage breaking down and the way in which Alex unexpectedly channels his pain and reflection through unexpectedly getting into stand up comedy.
Inspired by how comedian John Bishop got into comedy (who credits the fact that he did this in many ways helped to save his marriage), Is Thing is On? is a very subtle family drama in which explores the emotional impact of divorcing in your 40’s with kids and trying to find your way forward through the emotional anguish while still trying to co-parent.
Directed by Bradley Cooper, it is a slow burning film that can be frustrating in places in terms of pacing and overall the film does feel a little bit overlong, but there is no denying the sensitivity and the brilliant performances that he manages to get of the talented cast.
There is a real rawness in particular to the character of Alex, given an almost haunted and tormented quality by Will Arnett who also delivers brilliantly the stand up comedy aspects, capturing the character’s initial vulnerability but then transforms into someone who realises he is good at stand up comedy. Laura Dern is also excellent as Tess, trying to find herself once more – her calm demeanour masking inner vulnerability that is captured brilliantly in the close up shots of her when she discovers Alex’s stand up comedy routine. But Dern also offers powerfully raw emotional honesty in particularly emotionally charged scene in which she and and Alex discuss what went wrong in their marriage. It is one of the strongest scenes in the film.
Perhaps in many aspects there is a certain bleakness to the way in which the story unfolds, but the ending does offer a little bit of hope: sometimes in order to move forward you have to break the foundations of a relationship to start all over again. However, it is also a film that showcases how comedy can be relatable and a chance to re-examine past pain to see it in a different light – comedy can bring us together as humans on a emotional way.
Is This Thing Still On? isn’t a showy film, it is a subtle examination of what happens when a relationship breaks down and how to rebuild yourself and the relationship with the other person in a meaningful way. Perhaps the main criticism I have of the film was I didn’t understand the purpose of certain other characters in the film – in particular the relationship between fellow married couple Christine (Andra Day) and Balls (Bradley Cooper) just feels a little bit shoehorned in with no real meaning or outcome, despite the committed performances from both. The film could just use a fewer distractions to be even stronger.
The whole film is directed by Cooper with commitment and sensitivity but could have been tightened up to make more of an impact. It is at it strongest when it focuses on the emotional ups and downs of the relationship between Tessa and Alex.
Overall, as a drama that explores changing relationships, Is This Still On? is an effective drama, but because of the pacing it takes a little time to really settle down and find its feet. This being said, it is still worth a watch due to the strength of the performances of both Arnett and Dern.
Rating: ❤️❤️❤️