Nate At The Movies

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.

After a long holiday hiatus, my return to the theater—the Fossil Creek Regal, to be specific—was glorious. I brought Gabe along this time to see Is This Thing On?, a movie I’ve found myself getting more excited for since I first heard about it. Especially after rewatching and loving A Star Is Born earlier in the week, I was pumped for a new Bradley Cooper movie, and Is This Thing On? continued his streak of success for me.

In both of his previous movies, Cooper’s direction and Matthew Libatique’s cinematography took center stage, likely because those stories were about larger-than-life personalities, but Is This Thing On? was noticeably more grounded and real. That change was refreshing, and the naturalistic delivery of this story was very endearing, in a Noah Baumbach-sort of way. Every relationship felt lived-in, environments felt real, and the dialogue—the aspect most complimentary of Baumbach—was messy, realistic, and equally difficult and fun to follow. This setting was a departure for Cooper, but he seemed to settle in quickly.

The story was predictably less dynamic and pompous in comparison to A Star Is Born and Maestro, and this kind of “talking movie” can sometimes lose me, but the unique personalities of these characters and their interactions kept the story playful and engaging. Alex and Tess were an interesting central couple, especially as they found things that made them happy outside of their marriage, but I’d be hiding my true feelings if I didn’t mention just how hilariously Bradley Cooper wrote his own character. Balls dominated every scene he was in, and even though most of his best moments were comedic, his occasional emotional contributions were surprisingly meaningful. Also, the Peyton Manning cameo was thrilling, though I still think his best on-screen work is on the ManningCast.

As was to be expected in a movie about a man who finds happiness in the world of stand-up comedy, the film was hilarious, and not just in the comedy club. Balls held it down outside of the club, but so many of the routines in the club were great as well. I’m not sure who was writing those bits, but they were great. The movie was so funny and had its emotionally resonant moments, but I have noticed that Bradley Cooper as a writer has had trouble delivering his themes. Rarely is he subtle, and while I’ve always enjoyed what his movies have to say, he needs to work on how his message is communicated. The quickest fix for him would be to not have a character just come out and say the message—so at least improving will be easy!

I have yet to find a Bradley Cooper movie I didn’t enjoy, whether he’s acting, writing, directing, or producing. I think Cooper is one of the more talented and effective actors-turned-directors, and Is This Thing On? was further proof of his excellence in the director’s chair. I likened Is This Thing On? to a below-average Pixar movie at the end; though this film is currently my least favorite of Cooper’s directed films, his worst film is as good or better as some directors’ best. After my week of Bradley Cooper, Maestro is in need of a rewatch to really solidify my rankings, but I do know that I really enjoyed Is This Thing On?, and I will be seated on opening night for Cooper’s next one.