Disclaimer: I’m a blind film critic. Tell me something girl.

Bradley Cooper has not made enough noise this year with his newest directorial effort, Is this thing On, which is a deviation of sorts from his previous films. it has nothing to do with music, it is lighter in tone, and he isn’t the star. He is in the supporting cast, but still less screentime than Maestro. Divorce movies hav really tried to sell themselves as either really serious dramas, or funny comedies where the audience laughs at the extremes the couple will go to in order to defeat each other. This new one is somehow on its own path.

From the first moment we see Will Arnett and Laura Dern, they seem to be going through the motions, getting ready for bed. In the middle of the nighttime ritual, Dern asks “Should we just call it?”, and Arnett agrees. Just like that, a marriage ends. this conscious decoupling seems pretty amicable, but Arnett’s Alex Novak has some things he can’t quite figure out. He’s out ne night, and he stops at a bar, hoping to get a drink. Instead, he ends up signing up to perform stand up comedy, to avoid the cover charge. He’s never done it before, but it becomes like therapy. Suddenly, he’s opening up his life to a room full of strangers, and turning things into relatable jokes. He keeps coming back, and getting better and better.

Meanwhile, Tess (Dern) explores the dating world, and her professional life seems to be getting better. Then, she’s out one night on the town and happens into the same club where Alex is performing, and hears his routine. When Alex finds out, he’s nervous about what it all means. but, will it be that predictable? No.

Cooper finds truly interesting ways to evolve his couple, and instead of always taking the typical road, he maneuvers these two into a very different, yet equally poignant and realistic relationship. They are paralleled somewhat by their best friends (Cooper, Andra Day) as another married couple who evolve much the same way, as if inspired to do so. The rest of the supporting cast features Sean Hayes, Ciaran Hines, Christine ebersole, Amy Sedaris, and Peyton Manning.

Arnett has done some dark comedy before, somewhat mirroring the work of contemporaries like Bill Hader and Jason Bateman. He’s the right guy for this, because he totally works as a comic, but feels just right in the scenes he shares with Dern. And for her part, Dern has some really fun, off beat moments, instead of being reduced to a shrew, or some deeply unhappy woman who was the cause of all problems. In fact, the movie leans into the concept that being married isn’t about finding someone you can be happy with, but about finding someone you can be sad with, or depressed with. to share in the maladies of life.

I can understand how this film has escaped awards bodies, as it is very good without necessarily being the best. I’m sure it is a widely respected and enjoyed film, but unless audiences really get behind it, the campaign is in the past. I suppose not every Cooper film can get nominations, just like we are learning with Edward Berger this year.But, this is way better than Ballad Of A Small Player. This is a good film, which I hope doesn’t get lost in the influx of new material. It feels fresh enough to make you believe it has forged its own path, in a genre full of these types of films.

Will Arnett delivers the best performance of his career in yet another fantastic film from Bradley Cooper. Is this thing On? Yes. Is This Thing Worth Watching? Absolutely.

Fresh: Final Grade: 8.4/10