It feels like a dramatic simplification to say that marriage is hard work. If you want a truer representation of its complexity — the joy, the stability, the hardship, the mundane, the negotiation — we’d suggest watching Is This Thing On?
Directed by Bradley Cooper, the film centres on husband and wife Alex (Will Arnett) and Tess (Laura Dern), whose marriage is quietly unravelling, forcing them both to re-examine who they once were and who they’ve become.
For Tess, it’s a “tug of war” between motherhood and who she is as an individual, separate from her role as wife and mother. For Alex, it’s the rediscovery of self through an unexpected new outlet: stand-up comedy.
Both journeys are honest, relatable and — in Alex’s case — often amusing. But what truly drives the film is the palpable chemistry between its two leads. As Dern and Arnett attest, emulating the rapport of a 26-year relationship isn’t something any actor can simply perform.
“We spent a lot of time working on this, months before we started shooting,” Will tells us of the preparation he and Laura undertook to build their relationship. “It was kind of new territory for me. Doing this workshop work with Laura, who is so willing to dive in and be revealing and open in the process, allowed me to do the same.”
That connection doesn’t just emanate from the big screen, but from the small one, too — the laptop between us as I sit down to speak with them about the project. From the outset, they’re gushing about one another.
“You can’t act human connection, deep knowing and chemistry — so you’re in a lot of trouble if you don’t find it somehow,” Dern says. “But Will made it the most trusted, sacred, vulnerable space to enter. I feel so privileged. I could never have done it without it being this exact human.”
Will immediately chimes in, laughing, that the feeling is mutual. “Ditto,” he says. “I had the benefit of working opposite Laura Dern being vulnerable and open, and that opened the door for me. I’m really lucky.”
Arnett and Dern embody a decades-long marriage almost as convincingly as they portray its breakdown. As the film opens, audiences are immediately immersed in Alex and Tess’ divorce, leaving much of the story to dissect how easily identity and individuality can slip away within a relationship.
“I think we just get complacent — you take it for granted,” Will notes as we discuss the familiar rite of becoming your best self again post-break-up. “We all do it. I do it. It’s human nature. You get comfortable, and you’ve got to keep challenging each other.”
Laura nods along before adding, “And dopamine bliss is unwieldy in our lives. It’s like, ‘Oh my God, I don’t even need to think about myself — I’m so happy, you’re going to fulfil every need I ever have.’”
Still clearly in tune long after the cameras have stopped rolling, Arnett admits, “I would,” before Dern quips, “I know you would. See, this is why I said we should have gotten married.”
Is This Thing On? is in cinemas from February 5.
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