Is This Thing On? (2025)

Is This Thing On? poster

Is This Thing On? (2025)


Rating & Dimensions

Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Center
Political: Center
Diversity: Moderate
LGBTQ: Neutral
Family Values: Leans Progressive

Viewer Rating
7.3

Overview

Comedy-drama following Alex, a middle-aged man whose marriage unravels, as he seeks purpose through stand-up comedy in New York. Directed by Bradley Cooper, who co-wrote the screenplay with Will Arnett and Mark Chappell. Will Arnett stars as Alex, Laura Dern as his wife, with Andra Day and Cooper as Balls. Searchlight Pictures release; closed the 2025 New York Film Festival.


Starring Cast


Where to watch

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Detailed Bias Analysis

Analyzing...
Center

Primary

The film's central conflict revolves around a couple's divorce and individual quests for purpose, presenting an apolitical exploration of personal emotions and growth. This neutral focus on private life without ideological advocacy determines the centrist rating.

Visible diversity appears through a Black actress in a key supporting role amid a predominantly white cast, without recasting traditional leads. The narrative sympathetically explores a white couple's midlife challenges, avoiding critique of traditional identities or centering DEI concerns.

Secondary

A gay married couple forms part of the protagonists' social circle, shown in a stable relationship amid surrounding marital strife. Their depiction stays surface-level, offering neither deep validation nor harm, and stays incidental to the core story of separation and reconciliation.

The narrative frames marital dissolution as a path to self-discovery and improved parenting, with divorce depicted as growth rather than tragedy. Family bonds with children and grandparents remain central and warmly rendered amid the separation.

The film contains no transgender characters or themes. Its narrative centers on a divorcing couple navigating separation, co-parenting, and personal reinvention through comedy and sports, with incidental inclusion of a gay couple among friends but no exploration of trans identities.

The movie does not contain any action or adventure elements.

The film presents original characters in a story loosely inspired by the life of male comedian John Bishop, with the protagonist portrayed as male and no gender alterations from the real-life basis or any prior source material.

No race swaps occur. The film loosely draws from the life of white British comedian John Bishop, with protagonist Alex Novak played by white actor Will Arnett. Supporting character Christine, portrayed by Black actress Andra Day, is an original role without prior canonical racial depiction.


Viewer Rating Breakdown

7.3

Viewer Rating

Combines user and critic ratings from four sources

User Ratings

IMDB logo
6.7
The Movie Database logo
6.6

Critic Ratings

Rotten Tomatoes logo
8.7
Metacritic logo
7.2

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