Will Arnett‘s foray into drama is attracting a lot of attention for the actor, known for projects like Arrested Development, BoJack Horseman, and The Lego Batman Movie. Bradley Cooper directs Arnett with a supporting cast that includes Laura Dern and Cooper himself. Our Alex Maidy found the film to be a good watch and said in his review, “While it could have turned into a feel-bad movie, Is This Thing On? remains a sweet and uplifting film about a subject that you wouldn’t expect to leave you in a good mood. I have come to expect a little more depth and substance from Bradley Cooper as a director, but he does a nice job with this lighter project. It is not on par with either A Star is Born or Maestro, but Is This Thing On? does deliver on a showcase for Will Arnett and Laura Dern, whose chemistry helps make this movie work.”
Searchlight has revealed that the dramedy will be ready for home screens very soon, as it hits digital platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home on February 10, and on 4K Blu-ray and DVD March 17. Searchlight also revealed some details on the physical media release.
The description reads,
“A multi-faceted portrait of self-discovery and rediscovery of passions, Is This Thing On? delivers a hopeful and deeply human story to mature audiences through the performance of an all-star ensemble cast that also includes Andra Day, Cooper, Christine Ebersole, Ciarán Hinds, Amy Sedaris, Sean Hayes (one of Arnett’s partners in the popular podcast Smartless) and Scott Icenogle (real life husband of Hayes, adding to the authenticity of their roles).
Searchlight’s Is This Thing On? reaches into the complexity of long-standing relationships, thoughtfully portrayed under the direction of Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born, Maestro). ‘Bradley’s openness invited us to explore the mess and mystery of love, the way we lose and find ourselves in partnership,’ says Dern. Set against the scene of New York stand-up comedy clubs that Alex visits as a form of therapy, Arnett fearlessly rehearsed for his role by writing and performing standup bits in real world comedy clubs every night for about six weeks. Arnett also co-wrote the film with Cooper and Mark Chappell (See How They Run), from a story by Arnett, Chappell, and John Bishop (The John Bishop Show), whose life inspired the character of Alex.
Searchlight Pictures’ Is This Thing On? has captured the attention of critics who note ‘Arnett and Dern are magnetic’ (Billie Melissa, Newsweek), and that the film is ‘exceptionally crafted by director Bradley Cooper’ (Pete Hammond, Deadline). Searchlight Pictures’ Is This Thing On? has also earned a Rotten Tomatoes 86% Certified Fresh rating as well as film festival recognitions.”
Special Features and Technical Specs:
- DOLBY ATMOS AUDIO TRACK
- Mic Drop: Making Is This Thing On? — Go behind the scenes as filmmakers and cast open up about the inspirations behind this story of love, loss, and starting again. Get a glimpse into working with a remarkable ensemble and hear about how the team developed their comedy sets.
- Optional English SDH, Spanish and French subtitles for the main feature
- Video
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Resolution: 4K (2160p)
Original aspect ratio: 1.66:1 - Audio
English: Dolby Atmos - Subtitles
English SDH, French, Spanish - Discs
4K Ultra HD
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD-66, 1 BD-50) - Playback
4K Blu-ray: Region free
2K Blu-ray: Region A (B, C untested)
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Source:
Searchlight Pictures
