The New York Film Festival has set Bradley Cooper’s Is This Thing On? as the closing night selection of its 63rd edition.
The Searchlight Pictures film stars Will Arnett and Laura Dern as play Alex and Tess Novak, whose marriage has reached an impasse. With amicable sorrow, the couple—parents of two young boys—mutually agree to split up. But their separation leads to unpredictable midlife self-reckonings, most dramatically in Alex’s wild career pivot to become a confessional stand-up comedian in New York City’s West Village, where he finds new direction and camaraderie.
The screenplay by Cooper, Arnett,and Mark Chappell is inspired by British comedian John Bishop.
Is This Thing On?, following A Star Is Born and Maestro (NYFF61), “confirms his dexterity for representing the complexities of human relationships, constructing a film that is both lacerating and sweet-souled, funny and tender,”says NYFF.
Supporting cast includes Andra Day, Christine Ebersole, Ciarán Hinds, Sean Hayes, Peyton Manning and Amy Sedaris with New York stand-up standbys Chloe Radcliffe, Reggie Conquest and Jordan Jensen supplying downtown authenticity
“We are honored and humbled to premiere our film at the New York Film Festival. Earlier this year we had the wonderful opportunity to shoot this story all throughout the city, so it’s very exciting to debut it on the closing evening of the festival. NYC injects an energy into every aspect of filmmaking that just can’t be replicated.,” said Cooper.
NYFF Artistic Director Dennis Lim, said the fest is “thrilled to close the festival with Bradley Cooper’s delightful third feature. Is This Thing On? is a film of many dimensions and surprises: a fond tribute to New York City’s comedy scene, a sensitive study of midlife discontent, and a modern-day comedy of remarriage, pitch-perfect in its balance of humor and feeling.”
The festival runs Sept. 16-Oct. 13.
