Is This Thing On? (in-person only)

Will Arnett, Laura Dern, Andra Day, Bradley Cooper, Amy Sedaris

Is this thing on? Will Arnett (Arrested Development) plays a stand-up comedian working through divorce from his wife (Laura Dern – Marriage Story) in actor-director Bradley Cooper’s (A Star is Born, Maestro) warm, bittersweet new comedy. Co-written by Arnett and Cooper, it developed out of a conversation Arnett had with British comedian John Bishop about the start of his stand-up career.

As their marriage quietly unravels, Alex (Arnett) seeks new purpose in the New York comedy scene while Tess (Dern) confronts the sacrifices she made for their family. Their split is largely amicable, but there are still stresses and strains to navigate as they organise co-parenting, undergo identity shifts, and question whether old love can take a new form.

Another tone switch in Cooper’s filmmaking career, this follow-up to the finely controlled Maestro finds him on loose, unfussy and (appropriately) funny form, delivering a real charmer of a picture about the vicissitudes of middle age with a rueful, tender central turn from Arnett.