IS THIS THING ON?

(director/writer: Bradley Cooper; screenwriters: story by Will Arnett, Mark Chappell, John Bishop/ Will Arnett, Mark Chappell; cinematographer: Matthew Libatique; editor:
Charlie Greene; music: James Newberry; cast: Will Arnett (Alex Novak), Laura Dern (Tess Novak), Andra Day
(Christine), Bradley Cooper (Arnie, Balls), Christine Ebersole
(Alex’s mother, Marilyn), Ciarán Hinds (Alex’s father, Jan), Peyton Manning (Laird), Blake Kane (10-year-son of the divorced couple), Calvin Knegten (10-year-son of the divorced couple), A my Sedaris (Booker), Jordan Jensen (real stand-up comedians), Chloe Radcliffe (real stand-up comedians) Reggie Conquest (real stand-up comedians), Sean Hayes (friend of the couple), Scott Icenogle (friend of the couple); Runtime: 124; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Bradley Cooper, Weston Middleton, Kris Thykier, Will Arnett; Searchlight Pictures; 2025)

“The story is credible.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

The actor Bradley Cooper (“Maestro”/”A Star is Born”) effectively directs this romcom divorce film. He also appears in it and co-writes it with Will Arnett and Mark Chappell. It’s based on the story by Will Arnett, Mark Chappell, and John Bishop, which is loosely based on the true story of John Bishop, the Brit footballer who became a comedian and later a pharmaceutical rep.
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The middle-aged Alex (Will Arnett) and Tess Novak (Laura Dern) are getting divorced after 20 years because their marriage is no longer exciting, and he moves out of their suburban New York house to take an apartment in NYC’s West Village. Alex is some kind of finance guy. Tess is a former Olympic volleyball player in her youth, who will again coach volleyball for the US Olympic team.


They civilly converse to see what went wrong in their marriage, and try to figure out if it’s possible to get back together. Each parent takes custody of one of their two same-aged  adolescent children (Blake Kane & Calvin Knegten). 

At the famed Comedy Cellar (filmed on location), the self-pitying Alex does stand-up comedy for the first time when he doesn’t have the $15 admission fee and passes himself off as a comedy act to gain admission. He uses his divorce as a source for his material. Since he’s not bad at it, he seeks a new career as a stand-up comedian.

The couple’s close friends are stoners, the self-absorbed stage actor Balls (Bradley Cooper) and his prickly artist wife Christine (Andra Day).

Alex’s parents (Christine Ebersole & Ciarán Hinds) meddle while remaining neutral.

The story is credible, the jokes are not hilarious but generate mild laughter, and the acting is solid by Dern & Arnett.

It played at the New York Film Festival.

REVIEWED ON 10/31/2025  GRADE: B
dennisschwartzreviews.com