Is This Thing On? — Or Just Kinda Off?
Look, I wanted to like it. A new Bradley Cooper film—his third behind the camera after A Star Is Born and Maestro—should be cause for cautious excitement, if not outright celebration. The man has earned some credit. But based on early test screening reactions from Is This Thing On?, that goodwill might be wearing thin.
The film had its first test screening last night in Boston. Yep—middle of summer, random Tuesday, and a theater full of curious locals quietly evaluating a still-rough cut of Cooper's latest. And from what I've heard? It's a mixed bag. Some warm chuckles. Some head scratching. A bit of shuffling in seats. One guy reportedly said it “looked flat.” Which—ouch.
What's the Pitch?
The premise is… fine. Will Arnett plays a recently separated finance dude who sort of falls backwards into stand-up comedy. Think “accidental vulnerability” meets “midlife spiral.” His estranged wife (Laura Dern, always game) shows up to one of his sets, not realizing it's his set, and sparks a sort of re-romantic-sexual maybe-reunion-thing. And then: emotional stuff. Punchlines. A few unresolved dreams. Maybe a lesson or two.
It's loosely inspired by British comedian John Bishop's life, but don't expect any accents or heavy biopic vibes. This one lives in a more domestic zone—one audience member compared it to The Big Sick, but less specific and with fewer gut punches. Which, honestly, kind of sounds like watching The Big Sick while slightly sedated.
“It Looked a Bit Flat…”
That quote stuck with me. Because when you say something “looked flat” after watching a Bradley Cooper film—especially after the luminous, emotionally orchestrated A Star Is Born or the sweeping ambition of Maestro—you're not just talking about color grading. You're talking about soul.
Word from the test crowd is that Is This Thing On? is more conventional, more grounded… maybe even too grounded. There's drama, but it arrives late. There's backstory, but it doesn't really breathe. One attendee said the central conflict—the big rift between Arnett and Dern—is kind of vague until it explodes in the third act. “Her issues with him come out of nowhere,” they added. That's a problem. You can't smuggle in your stakes with 20 minutes left on the clock and expect us to care.
And then there's the question of tone. Dramedy's a tricky beast—land too far on either side and the whole thing slips. If you're gonna make us laugh, commit. If you're gonna make us cry, don't blink. But Is This Thing On? seems to blink a lot.
Cooper: Scene-Stealer or Safety Net?
Cooper himself shows up in a supporting role as Arnett's brother, a struggling actor. And from all reports, he kind of walks away with the movie. He gets the best lines, the biggest laughs. One person even said Cooper “definitely got the laughs at my screening.” Which is great—for him. But if the director is the best part of his own film and he's not the lead? That's… telling.
Not to be cynical (okay, a little cynical), but it sounds like he might've felt the energy sagging and decided to jump in with a few zingers. Director as damage control. Not ideal, but not uncommon.
Timing: Don't Expect It This Fall
Before anyone asks—no, this one's not heading to Venice or TIFF. And definitely not Telluride. The word “work-in-progress” got thrown around a lot post-screening. Still needs scoring, sound, color, and possibly a tighter third act. Don't hold your breath for 2025 Oscars. This is looking more like a mid-2026 release—maybe spring if they're lucky, maybe summer if they're not.
And honestly, that feels right. Is This Thing On? isn't an awards play. It's a “sure, I'll stream this on a Thursday night” kind of film. And that's not a crime. But it's a letdown, coming from someone who once turned a Lady Gaga duet into pure cinema.
Final Thought (Before I Start Ranting)
I don't hate the idea of Cooper doing something smaller. Not everything needs to swing for the fences. But if you're stepping down in scale, you've gotta go deeper in character. Every moment has to feel lived-in. Is This Thing On?—at least so far—feels like it's still stretching. Trying to figure out what it is.
And maybe that's the point. Maybe the film's about learning to be okay with not being great. About showing up anyway. About bombing on stage and still telling the next joke.
Or maybe it's just not ready yet.
Let's hope it gets there.
