Key Points
- Release on January 30, 2026, ‘Is This Thing On?’ is directed by Bradley Cooper and co-written by Will Arnett, inspired by British comedian John Bishop’s real-life story.
- Will Arnett stars as Alex Novak, a finance executive facing marital collapse, who turns to stand-up comedy to cope with his midlife crisis.
- The film features intimate cinematography by Matthew Libatique and strong performances, especially from Laura Dern, highlighting complex marital struggles and personal growth.
When a middle-aged man, adrift in the wake of marital collapse, steps onto a comedy club stage and blurts out, “Um… I think I’m getting a divorce,” it’s not your typical punchline. Yet, this is the real-life spark behind Is This Thing On?, the new comedy-drama directed by Bradley Cooper and co-written by Will Arnett and Mark Chappell. The film, released on January 30, 2026, is already stirring heartfelt laughter and knowing sighs from audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.
At its core, Is This Thing On? is a story about Alex Novak, played by Arnett, whose marriage to Tess (Laura Dern) is unraveling. The couple, parents to two young sons, Jude and Felix, have weathered the seven-year itch and the everyday chaos of family life, but something fundamental has shifted. Communication has broken down, ambitions have faded, and both are wrestling with the existential aches of midlife. Alex, a finance executive who finds himself increasingly dissatisfied, moves out of their comfortable Westchester home and into the heart of New York City, seeking solace and perhaps a new sense of purpose.
The film’s premise might sound familiar, but its origins are anything but ordinary. According to NNPA News Wire, the narrative is loosely based on the true story of British comedian John Bishop, who, during a separation from his wife in 2000, wandered into a comedy club and found his voice—literally—by confessing his pain to a roomful of strangers. Bishop’s tale was first shared with Arnett during a chance meeting in Amsterdam in 2018. “One of our mutual friends said, ‘John, why don’t you tell the story of how you became a standup comedian?’ And he did. I was like, ‘Wait, wow, this is insane,'” Arnett recounted in an interview published on January 28, 2026. The raw honesty of Bishop’s experience—using humor as a salve for heartbreak—became the emotional backbone of the film.
Arnett, known for his comedic chops in Arrested Development and voice work in BoJack Horseman and The Lego Movie, brings an unexpected vulnerability to Alex. To prepare, he spent six weeks performing stand-up routines as Alex Novak in New York clubs, sometimes bombing, sometimes soaring. “I had to fight my urges as a performer to win the room over,” Arnett explained. “But even playing a character it was still scary, because it’s just you and a mic. There were times when it was great, and there were times where, put simply, I bombed.” This immersive approach, encouraged by Cooper, helped Arnett capture the jittery authenticity of a man baring his soul under the glare of a spotlight.
Cooper, whose previous directorial efforts (A Star is Born, Maestro) were marked by sweeping ambition, opts for a more intimate style here. With cinematographer Matthew Libatique, he keeps the camera close, often filling the frame with Arnett’s expressive face. “The first thing Bradley said to me was: ‘I see your face filling the frame.’ He had a very clear, cinematic view of how he wanted this to be,” Arnett noted. The result is a film that feels confessional, almost voyeuristic, as if the audience is eavesdropping on Alex’s innermost thoughts.
The film’s emotional resonance is heightened by Laura Dern’s nuanced performance as Tess. She’s not simply the aggrieved spouse; she’s a woman wrestling with her own regrets and desires. In one searing exchange, she tells Alex, “Don’t ambush me in front of the boys. You suck!”—a line that captures the raw, unvarnished pain of a relationship in crisis. Their dynamic, at times prickly and at others tender, grounds the film in reality. As one reviewer on social media put it, “A realistic depiction of being in a couple, messy at times but as Arnett’s character says, sometimes it is about being ‘unhappy’ together, as in going through life’s challenges.”
But Is This Thing On? is not just about heartbreak. It’s also a love letter to the world of stand-up comedy—a place where, as NNPA News Wire observes, “a stage is his confessional altar and fellow comics extended family.” The film doesn’t flinch from the awkwardness of open-mic nights: the nervous stammers, the dud punchlines, the moments of unexpected connection. Production designer Kevin Thompson and set decorator Rebecca Meis DeMarco create spaces—dingy comedy rooms, cramped city apartments, suburban kitchens—that feel lived-in and authentic. The soundtrack, including the David Bowie/Queen anthem “Under Pressure,” serves as a kind of Greek chorus, underscoring the emotional stakes with a knowing wink.
Behind the scenes, the film was born from a web of personal connections. Producer Kris Thykier first heard Bishop’s story at a 2016 film premiere after-party and was immediately intrigued. The screenplay, shaped by Arnett, Chappell, and Cooper, is a loose retelling—viewers are left to discover for themselves whether Alex and Tess reconcile or move on. What’s clear is that the journey matters more than the destination; the film is less about neat resolutions than about the messy, ongoing work of self-discovery.
Early audience reactions have been overwhelmingly positive. At Cineworld’s Secret Screening event in late January, viewers praised the film’s blend of humor and pathos. “Absolutely amazing and to think that it’s a true story, didn’t expect that ending though superb movie,” wrote one attendee. Another gushed, “A winning pair of performances from Arnett and Dern and great writing too.” Even skeptics found themselves won over by the chemistry between the leads and the film’s honest, sometimes bittersweet tone. “Really funny but sad at the same time,” one viewer summarized—a sentiment echoed across social media.
For Arnett, the process of making the film was both cathartic and challenging. “It’s not my story, but it’d be foolish to think that I didn’t identify with some of the experiences Alex is having, because that’s part of my life,” he admitted. Cooper and Arnett’s long-standing friendship and mutual trust, forged over years in the industry, gave them the freedom to explore difficult emotional territory without fear of judgment.
In the end, Is This Thing On? is not just a film about divorce or comedy. It’s about the courage to speak your truth—even if your voice shakes, even if the crowd doesn’t laugh. It’s about finding connection in unexpected places and learning, sometimes the hard way, that growth often comes from discomfort. As the credits roll and Bowie’s voice echoes, “Can’t we give ourselves one more chance?” audiences are left not with easy answers, but with a sense of hope and the gentle reminder that, in life as in comedy, sometimes you just have to step up to the mic and say, “Um…”
