Overall, the definition of what a dramedy should be is perfectly embodied in “Is This Thing On?”, with raw and direct cinematography that enhances the performance of Will Arnett, who uses stand-up comedy as a therapeutic escape from his character's divorce; although some subplots felt unnecessary, this film represents a redemptive turn for Bradley Cooper, who takes a 180-degree turn from Maestro by adopting a less interventionist approach and letting the actors and script develop on their own.
The large-scale direction feels very raw and personal, accurately portraying the hustle and bustle of the New York comedy scene through a direct and unfiltered camera; the small-scale direction is also good, as the film feels therapeutic in showing the protagonist venting about his problems through comedy, basically a live-action version of Bojack Horseman; the interpersonal scenes between Arnett and Dern feel authentic, accurately capturing their dynamic;
Director: Bradley Cooper
Writers: Bradley Cooper, Will Arnett, Mark Chappell
Stars: Will Arnett, Laura Dern, Andra Day
however, the group scenes felt somewhat unnecessary and detracted from the film; this film represents a radical departure from Maestro, as it focuses on the essentials, letting the actors and script do most of the work; the narrative feels very raw and real, bringing you closer to the protagonist and his problems, literally from the camera's perspective, showing you how he uses this newfound love for comedy as a therapeutic escape to overcome his divorce; the tension is built from the emotional connection with the protagonist, making you empathize with him as he goes through his difficulties and feel secondhand embarrassment when he fails on stage.
The concept is very interesting, as it's about a father who discovers a new passion for comedy as a way to cope with his divorce, which is amazing considering it's based on a true story; the plot structure is good for the A and B plots, but the C plot felt unnecessary and marred the film's story; The character development is very good, as it presents the protagonist as a character we can empathize with, finding new motivation in comedy, which he uses as therapy to overcome his divorce, although Laura Dern's character felt a bit one-dimensional.
The dialogues are profound and funny, making this film an example of what a dramedy should be; the humor is genuinely good, as it incorporates stand-up comedy throughout the film, making it feel current and as if you were in a comedy club watching the main character. The symbolism is powerful, as the film addresses therapeutic approaches and the concept of going through a divorce and attempting co-parenting. The foreshadowing feels a little forced and drawn out, but this is what happened in real life, so I accept it.
Will Arnett: Very Good (He essentially plays a live-action Bojack Horseman; he truly brings this character to life, as you can empathize with his struggles and become invested in seeing how his stand-up comedy career becomes a therapeutic outlet for him to cope with his divorce; he has great chemistry with Dern and pretty good chemistry with the rest of the cast), Laura Dern: Good (She plays her role well and has pretty good chemistry with Arnett, showcasing one side of the dynamic of this divorce; her individual scenes and storylines aren't as impressive compared to Arnett's story, but she does show her own grieving process over the end of this marriage; with her Oscar win for playing a divorce lawyer in "Marriage Story," it seems she's quite familiar with the subject matter), Andra Day: Decent to Pretty Good (She plays her role well, but her material isn't the best, as her scenes aren't very well-written or particularly interesting), Bradley Cooper: Pretty Bad (Unfortunately, his performance was the worst in the film, as he was relegated to a crude physical comedy character that doesn't utilize any of his strengths; thankfully, he's barely in the movie, because his scenes are, frankly, some of the worst), Rest of the Cast: Decent to Pretty Good (All the supporting cast members play their roles well and help bring to life the dark and bustling New York comedy scene; the chemistry among the actors is good, but the scenes are much better in the individual interactions; the surprise cameo is also quite well-done, considering their background; you'll be surprised to see who it is).
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