Bradley Cooper captivated the audience at the Alice Tully Hall during the closing night of the New York Film Festival, where he premiered his third directorial project, Is This Thing On? The film, which Cooper described as a deeply personal tribute to the city where he attended graduate school in the late 90s and the vibrant world of stand-up comedy, left festival attendees buzzing with excitement. Cooper revealed that the film was completed just a few months prior to its debut, and the crowd was treated to an unfinished print that they quickly fell in love with.
The narrative centers on a character portrayed by Will Arnett, who is navigating a tumultuous period in his life on the brink of divorce after a lengthy marriage. In a surprising turn of events, he finds solace and a sense of catharsis through the art of amateur stand-up comedy. Cooper expressed that he couldn’t envision anyone else but Arnett in the lead role, highlighting their longstanding friendship and collaborative spirit. “We wrote the script together with Mark Chappell,” Cooper remarked, sharing the story of how he first met Arnett in New York City. He fondly recalled, “I thought, ‘That guy’s tall, I don’t want to fight that guy.’” Their bond only deepened when they lived together in Venice, CA, where Cooper admired Arnett’s humor and charisma.
Cooper reflected on the rarity of friendships that stand the test of time, stating, “Sometimes you meet these people and they go out of your life, but we stayed in each other's lives for decades.” He emphasized the significance of their relationship, noting that Arnett is someone he will cherish deeply throughout his life. “To be able to make art together with someone you trust, and to see them show themselves, is incredibly special. There are so many moments in this movie that you’ll see tonight that are just him, baring his soul through the character of Alex,” Cooper explained, warmly acknowledging Arnett's talent.
In his opening remarks, Cooper also expressed his affection for New York City, sharing, “I do love the Eagles! But I consider myself a New Yorker!” He reminisced about his childhood drives to the city from Philadelphia, often getting lost in the West Village and feeling the undeniable magic of New York. “I always thought about being here in grad school in the late 90s at the New School. New York was so specific; it had that magic, and it really still has that magic for me, at least, and we hope for most of you. That’s what we wanted to capture,” the Hangover star turned filmmaker added.
Joining Arnett in the film is the talented Laura Dern, who plays his wife, Tess. Both Arnett and Cooper took on producing roles for this project, which represents Cooper's third directorial endeavor. He extended gratitude to the team at Searchlight Pictures, particularly praising Matthew Greenfield and his crew for their unwavering support and belief in the film. “I’ve had the honor of working with great studios, but I’ve never had such great communication with a head of the studio,” Cooper said. He shared an anecdote about Greenfield’s involvement during production, recalling, “Matthew came to set and asked, ‘Can we make New York Film Festival?’, to which I responded, ‘I don’t know, Bro, we just finished the movie.’” Cooper expressed how the entire team came together to make the festival screening a reality, showcasing the strong collaboration behind Is This Thing On?.
