Is This Thing On? (2025): Bradley Cooper Directs a Bittersweet Comedy About Love, Divorce, and Reinvention 🎤💔

This December, Searchlight Pictures invites audiences to laugh, ache, and reflect with Is This Thing On?, a heartfelt comedy directed by Bradley Cooper and starring Will Arnett and Laura Dern. Set against the buzzing backdrop of New York’s comedy scene, the film takes an intimate look at marriage, separation, and the search for identity in the second act of life.

Fresh from its world premiere as the Closing Night Selection of the 63rd New York Film Festival on October 10, 2025, the film will officially hit U.S. theaters on December 19, 2025—just in time for awards season.

🎭 A Story of Love After Love

At the heart of Is This Thing On? is the quietly unraveling marriage of Alex (Will Arnett) and Tess (Laura Dern). After years of shared dreams and compromises, the couple decides to part ways amicably, entering the awkward stage of co-parenting two boys while redefining who they are outside of their marriage.

Alex seeks new meaning in the New York comedy scene, stumbling into late-night clubs where laughter feels like both therapy and rebirth. Meanwhile, Tess confronts the sacrifices she made for family and begins to ask whether love can evolve into something new, something beyond the confines of marriage.

In the words of Alex: “If I can make a room full of strangers laugh, maybe I can figure out how to live with myself.”

🎬 Bradley Cooper’s Intimate Direction

After the sweeping romance of A Star Is Born and the psychological depths of Maestro, Bradley Cooper shifts gears into bittersweet comedy. Drawing inspiration from the life of British comedian John Bishop, Cooper weaves humor into heartbreak, exploring how people cope with endings that are not failures, but transformations.

Shot by renowned cinematographer Matthew Libatique (Black Swan, A Star Is Born), the film blends the gritty intimacy of New York comedy clubs with the warmth of family life. Editing by Charlie Greene ensures both comedic rhythm and emotional beats land with precision, while the score by James Newberry underscores the tenderness beneath the laughs.

🌟 Cast & Characters

The ensemble of Is This Thing On? is stacked with talent:

• Will Arnett as Alex – a man facing middle age with equal parts fear and hope.

• Laura Dern as Tess – a mother and woman rediscovering her independence.

• Bradley Cooper as Arnie – Alex’s best friend and sounding board.

• Andra Day – in a pivotal supporting role.

• Amy Sedaris and Sean Hayes – adding comedic flair.

• Ciarán Hinds and Christine Ebersole – anchoring the drama with gravitas.

Cameos from comedians like Chloe Radcliffe, Jordan Jensen, and even Peyton Manning add authenticity and surprise to the comedy-club setting.

🎤 A Comedy About Second Chances

Unlike traditional divorce dramas, Is This Thing On? isn’t about bitterness or blame. Instead, it’s about reinvention—the messy, funny, painful process of learning who you are when the life you built shifts beneath your feet.

It asks: Can love survive after marriage? Can laughter heal wounds that silence cannot? And how do we write our next act when the first one ends?

📅 Release Details

• World Premiere: October 10, 2025, at the New York Film Festival (NYFF63) – Closing Night Selection.

• U.S. Release: December 19, 2025 (only in theaters).

• Runtime: 124 minutes.

• Distributor: Searchlight Pictures.

💭 Final Word

Is This Thing On? is a film that finds humor in heartbreak and beauty in imperfection. With Will Arnett and Laura Dern delivering some of their most vulnerable performances, and Bradley Cooper once again proving himself as a master of emotionally rich storytelling, this is a December release that promises both laughter and tears.

Because sometimes, the punchline isn’t the end of the joke—it’s the beginning of a new life.