Bradley Coopers latest directorial venture, Is This Thing On?, invites us into the awkwardly tender aftermath of marriage, where love doesnt vanish, it transforms. The first trailer, released Tuesday, offers a glimpse of the emotionally calibrated comedy-drama that blends lingering heartache, reinvention, and a dash of self-deprecating humor.In the film, Will Arnett stars as Alex Novak, a father on the brink, steering through impending divorce and an identity wobble. His estranged wife, Tess, played by Laura Dern, is a former Olympic-level athlete whose selfhood has been overshadowed by family priorities. As their marriage quietly unravels, Alex stumbles into the gritty, sleepless world of New York Citys stand-up comedy scene. (I think Im getting a divorce, he deadpans during a low-stakes Comedy Cellar set.) Tess grapples with the sacrifices she made and the person she has become, forcing both characters to navigate co-parenting and the question of whether love can evolve rather than end. Whats particularly fascinating is how the film approaches reinvention not as a glamorous resurgence but as a midlife catharsis, as Cooper puts it in Vanity Fair. That tone reframes the narrative from crisis to recalibration, and Will Arnett, who had never performed stand-up, immerse himself in workshops to capture that gleeful teetering between vulnerability and stage fright.Laura Dern and Andra Day in Is This Thing On?. Photo: Jason McDonald/Searchlight PicturesA star-studded ensemble enriches the emotional tapestry. Bradley Cooper himself steps in as Arnie, Alexs steadfast friend. Andra Day brings grace and gravity as Tesss best friend Christine. Christine Ebersole and Ciarn Hinds round out the familial circle, while spitfire presences like Amy Sedaris, Sean Hayes, and Peyton Manning liven up the supporting dynamics. Additionally, real-life New York comedians Chloe Radcliffe, Reggie Conquest, and Jordan Jensen lend downtown authenticity.The screenplay, co-written by Cooper, Arnett, and Mark Chappell, is inspired by a similar real-life journey of stand-up reinvention, British comedian John Bishops life. According to Vanity Fair, the idea sprouted from a dinner party conversation between Arnett and Bishop years ago. Is This Thing On? is scheduled to world premiere as the closing-night film at the 2025 New York Film Festival on Oct. 10 at Lincoln Centers Alice Tully Hall. The citys energy plays a fundamental role in the storydirector Cooper emphasized that filming throughout New York imbued the project with an irreplaceable grit and electricity. A theatrical release will follow in select theaters December 19. This marks Coopers directorial return following A Star Is Born (2018) and Maestro (2023), two films that showcased his emotional range and nuanced storytelling. His growing repertoire continues to earn him widespread acclaim, even as he works on snagging that long-coveted Oscar. Source