Bradley Cooper directs Will Arnett, Laura Dern and himself in this drama about a divorcee who discovers open mic stand-up.

Loosely based on John Bishop’s early steps in comedy (but transplanted from Liverpool to New York), this has all the authenticity of car boot sale Labubu bong. People don’t interact like this. Comedy doesn’t work like this. How do these people even know each other? The one genuinely good scene is when his 10 year old sons find his notebook and ask him why he writes such sad shit. The one genuinely genuine scene is when his parents find out and knee jerk shit all over his little victory of booking a 10 spot. (Editorial: This character as presented would never get a 10 spot offered to him based on his inconsistent 2 chuckles a set batting average). The director casts himself as a recurring (non stand-up) comic relief but comes across as an annoying middle class, middle aged Floyd from True Romance. Cooper and Arnett are visually so similar I thought they were playing brothers. There is a hatefully written black female character that doesn’t pass muster. I think it is swell that the very earnest stud, who is only famous because of The Hangover franchise, has decided to become an auteur. It has become clear over three wildly indulgent projects that his passion is to represent the arts as a noble, life affirming endeavour in various forms. But he is an irredeemable pretentious, tone deaf darling. Tracing over the sorta movie Noah Baumbach used to make ain’t going get you your Oscar. And as awkward as this all is… Is This Thing On? is somehow his best movie to date. I laughed at it a lot less than A Star Is Born.

4

Perfect Double Bill: A Star Is Born (2018)