Comedy is hard, and so is divorce. Sometimes putting the two together, however, can be a cathartic experience. That’s especially true if you’re able to channel your pain into comedy. It can be a way to move through it all.

That’s the idea at the heart of Is This Thing On?, a new film directed by Bradley Cooper that opens in limited release this Friday. The film has been a hit at festivals and finds Will Arnett as a man channeling his pain into comedy. It helps give him and outlet and might just be the key to getting his life back on track.

As we begin, Alex (Arnett) and his wife Tess (Laura Dern) aren’t in a good space. They still live together, but it feels like they’re going through the motions. She suggests their marriage is over, and he can’t disagree.

While Alex and Tess keep up appearances for their friends, they begin living apart. That leaves Alex at a loss, until one night he stumbles into a comedy club. He signs up for a set to avoid the cover charge and, as he takes the stage, he begins sharing about his life. As the laughs come, he gets more confident. It’s something of a release.

Though he doesn’t share his new outlet with Tess, his friends, or his kids, Alex finds the stage a place he can grow and reflect. And, ultimately, this new outlet leads to healing. It also might be the key to making the changes needed to reclaim his life.

Arnett is a gifted performer. He has a certainly off-beat, relatable style that works great for comedy. And that helps his character, Alex, come alive on stage in this film. Arnett worked on the script with Cooper and Mark Chappell, and you can feel how personal the story is to him in his performance.

He finds a great partner in Dern. She gives a beautiful performance in the film, too. Tess has her own journey and Dern brings it to life in a great way. They play off each other beautifully, leading to a wonderful third act that really nails the conclusion.

The rest of the film is solid, too. There’s a wonderful supporting cast with some fun beats. Cooper himself takes a funny supporting role as Alex’s friend Balls, and he has some great lines and deliveries. It helps build a world that’s a lot of fun. Ciaran Hinds also kills it as Alex’s father, especially in a third act exchange that is heart-warming.

I really enjoyed the sequences on the stage for Alex. Most of them are funny, but there’s also a really emotional sequence that is a great turning point. The concluding arc to the film is powerful, especially the final musical number and sequence. It’s funny, poignant, and a great time at the movies.

Is This Thing On? is a fun film that’s worth checking out. It opens in limited release on Friday, December 19 and goes wide in January.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.