Is This Thing On?

the acting is so good, the dialogue is good, but most of the jokes during the stand up aren't really funny (might just be me, i'm not really into stand up). i also hate how so many newer movies have to have these scenes with people talking over eachother. ik it's realistic, but..

Is This Thing On? is a much more lowkey directorial effort from Cooper. He plays it cool, the whole film plays out less ‘performative’ - feeling more like a film he actually wanted to make opposed to it being a good idea to make.

Big fan of comedian John Bishop, of whom the story is based off, really interesting turn of events in a marriage - what the point of it is, why people do it. It’s questions that have been posed in many films before, but I really felt this offered a unique lens. The film is very funny, very emotional, but most importantly, grounded, the relationship feels real, their struggle feels real - it all just really worked.

Fantastic to see Will Arnett in a more serious role, he’s really good! There’s a moment very early on at a train station where he does a small ‘choke’ as the scene ends that really got me! Laura Dern was great too, obvs, the film played more like a two-hander than I assumed, but that really worked. Their dynamic and chemistry felt authentic to the story in a really effective way.

Great job from Bradley Cooper, in my eyes he’s 3/3, being a big fan of the controversial Maestro. I really, genuinely look forward to what he does next. Also, cheap shot playing “Under Pressure” - that song always gets me!!

This is almost a like, and I did enjoy bits of this, and a few parts were really funny, but it really did start to drag in the middle where I just kept checking how long was actually left. I couldn’t help comparing John Bishop to Will Arnett, and I’m just not sure the story translates itself well to America. If this was set actually in England I think it would have been much better. And Bradley Coopers character was just odd and annoying.

It was a good movie. I’d recommend it, but there are plenty of things to watch first

It wasn't bad and I found the storyline interesting. Everything just felt like 1 continuous thread that needed more standout moments to break it up.

Hmm 🧐