Movie: Is This Thing On?

In 2000 semi-professional footballer and pharmaceutical rep John Bishop split with his wife in Manchester UK.

Depressed at the breakdown of his marriage, he decided to cheer himself up by visiting a comedy club in the city. To avoid paying the £4 entry fee he put his name down for an Open Mic Night, not knowing what it was.

He performed well in front of an audience of seven people, and was encouraged to return every week, which he saw as a form of counselling.  His jokes were based on his marriage breakup.  As it happened his wife attended one of these performances and their relationship reignited.

On hearing Bishop’s story actor Will Arnett began working on a script with Mark Chappell based on Bishop’s experience.  The result of mentioning the story to director Bradley Cooper is the movie Is This Thing On?

Cooper’s offering (which he co-wrote with Arnett and Chappell) is based in New York and, while there are a number of changes to Bishop’s story (including his profession and number of children), the basics are still there.

Alex Novak (Will Arnett) and his wife Tess (Laura Dern) have decided to call it quits.  After over 20 years on marriage they have realised they are unhappy together. There is no third party involved, they have just drifted apart and neither is happy especially Tess.

The movie starts with them working out how and when they are going to tell their 10-year-old boys (Blake Kane and Calvin Knegten).

Depressed after a dinner party with the couple’s friends in Manhattan — long-married couple Christine (Andra Day) and Balls (Cooper) and gay newlyweds Stephen (Sean Hayes) and Geoffrey (Scott Icenogle) – and under the impact of some ‘special cookies’ – Alex decides he needs a drink.

Slightly stoned and clearly in no rush to go home alone to the bland, small apartment he has  just moved into after leaving his very comfortable family home, Alex wanders into the Olive Tree Café in the West Village. To avoid paying the $15 cover charge, he puts his name down on the sign-up sheet for open mic night at the Comedy Cellar downstairs.

Having nothing planned he decides to talk about his marriage breakdown.  It’s not a great performance but a laugh or two and the support of fellow comics (played by real-life comedians including Jordan Jensen, Chloe Radcliffe, Reggie Conquest and Dave Attell) sees him come back for another go with a little more success.

Gradually he becomes more and more confident and enamoured with stand-up comedy. As his confidence grows so does his demeanour and attitude to life.

At the same time Tess is also re-discovering her pre-children passion – volleyball.  She was once good enough to make the women’s Olympic team, but gave it up to be a wife and mother to the boys. A career as a top level coach now looms.

Needless to say, their post separation relationship undergoes several incarnations some of which are driven by interactions with their friends and Alex’s parents, Marilyn (Christine Ebersole) and Jan (Ciaran Hinds).

While described as a comic drama, it’s probably better described as drama more than comedy thanks to the emotional turmoil caused by any marriage breakup no matter how civil.  There’s the impact on the boys, friends and family taking sides and the adjustments to single life especially for Alex.

Much of the credit for that emotional pull of the movie must go to the supporting actors and of course Arnett and Dern who are totally believable in their roles and a delight to watch.

While New York’s comedy scene  plays a role in Is This Thing On? according to Cooper he wanted the movie to ultimately tell the unconventional journey of a man finding himself and rediscovering his voice and happiness. At the same time, it’s also the story of a woman who does the same and much of the credit for this goes to the lead actors and Cooper’s direction.

Is This Thing On? opens in Australian cinemas on February 5.

*Photo credit: Searchlight Pictures.