Bradley Cooper’s latest directs a film built around a midlife pivot, pairing a personal crisis with an experimental foray into stand‑up. He also handles the camera, giving the project an intimate, sometimes claustrophobic feel that mirrors the characters’ tensions.
The narrative follows Tess and Alex, a long‑married couple with two kids, who discover that growth has stalled and their union has run its course. Alex signs up for a stand‑up routine at a West Village club as a form of therapy, though the set often serves more to expose his hurt than to generate laughs.
Lauded performances from Laura Dern and Will Arnett anchor the film, with their chemistry providing the film’s emotional center. Cooper’s self‑shot, near‑documentary approach—tight close‑ups and a restrained 1.66:1 frame—emphasizes realism over splashy spectacle, a choice that repeatedly leans into mood over merriment.
Despite strong acting, the movie sometimes languishes in the middle, with the comedic threads failing to snap the narrative into a lasting arc. A late‑film reconciliation moment and a chorus‑led finale attempt to point toward a forward path, but the emotional payoff remains elusive for much of the running time.
Set against New York’s underground comedy scene, the ensemble includes Andra Day, Christine Ebersole, Ciarán Hinds, Amy Sedaris, and Jordan Jensen, all contributing texture to a vivid if sprawling portrait. Debuting at NYFF, the film is slated for a December release by Searchlight Pictures.
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