Is This Thing On?

Is This Thing On? directed by Bradley Cooper, was my first movie for the 41st Miami Film Festival this year. The movie focuses on Alex, a man facing middle age and an impending divorce, who finds new purpose in the New York comedy scene, while his (almost ex) wife, Tess, confronts the sacrifices she made for their family.

There was something quite charming about this movie, in the sense that it solidified the thought in my mind of: you can always just do something else and start anew. But as much as I’d love to say that sentiment was the core of the movie, it wasn’t. My partner said it very plainly: “This is just a rated-R Hallmark movie.”

In a way, it was. I’ve never seen a Hallmark movie, but we all understand the tropes, the push and pull, the ‘will they, won't they,’ the ‘seeing other people,’ but it doesn’t quite fit, the magical ‘they get back together’ ending. We see this rollercoaster of emotions from both Alex and Tess, the strong face their kids put on, and the criticism from Alex’s mother. Watching them both run around trying to break off from their established personas reminded me a lot of the high school experience. It doesn’t matter how old you are; I guess life sometimes is just one big high school. You are always evolving and changing. And when you stop moving, you become this boring, sad, frustrated person. Or you die. 

I think Tess, played by the wonderful Laura Dern, reflected a lot of the fears that come with motherhood, the sacrifices you make. The fear that you will no longer be a person, or a friend, or a daughter. You’re a wife, you’re a mother. That is all you will ever be. Tess, an ex-Olympic volleyball player who, after an injury, sheltered herself in a life of motherhood. She struggles to unify both of these versions of herself, missing her ‘prime’ and in moments resenting her ‘mother’ self. Her snowballing frustration with what she has had to give up and sacrifice for her family explodes on Alex when he gets this portrait of her playing volleyball, and she hates it, because it isn't her anymore. It is almost confusing; it certainly was for men in the audience who couldn’t help but make comments about it. She wishes nothing more than to be this past version of herself, yet when the people who are supposed to love her as she is also view her as she once was, she hates it. She cannot accept this new version of herself, but hopes that her husband and children will. 

Regarding Alex. Listen, Will Arnett did an incredible job. He was likable and clearly a man trying to break free from the boredom of everyday life, the box life had put him in. He wasn’t a comic sensation; it's called out multiple times that he’s kind of terrible at stand-up but he loves it, and he misses his wife, and he’s trying his best to be a father. I found myself reflected in him as well. The sentiment of wanting to break free from the track life has put you on, of doing something that, no matter how bad you are at it, brings you joy. Wanting to peel back the old and start a new chapter. More fun, and reckless, and carefree. Many of us have that itch, and I think they did a phenomenal job portraying it. 

Throughout the movie, the children become part of the soundtrack that accompanies their parents' lives. Not only when their talking gets muddled behind the present conversations, but throughout the film, they have a pending performance, something they are continuously practicing for. It starts very faint, just a couple of repeated piano notes, amidst tender or tense moments, you’ll hear the drums start to beat along. Under Pressure by David Bowie featuring Queen frames the last moments of the movie. I know they included this as a means to invoke some sentimentality, to pull at the heartstrings. And I hate to say that it worked– I teared up watching the movie close up. In hindsight, it was a cheap trick, but that's not to say the movie wasn’t emotional and moving. It spoke of finding true happiness, of love and family, of persevering. As the movie was wrapping it all up in a big beautiful bow of “giving love one more chance” (as the song says), I felt like something was missing; some deeper element to truly become touching. That piece of the puzzle never appeared. 

Although I initially rated it a 4/5, now that I’ve had longer to digest it, I probably would give it a 3.5/5. This movie was about staying together even though you’re unhappy. Because you aren't happy with your relationship, you’re unhappy while in your relationship. And sometimes you just need to “give yourself some grace” and do something fun.