Question 1

Is Is This Thing On? woke?

Accepted Answer

Is This Thing On? has a woke score of 28/100, which means it is not especially woke compared with higher-scoring titles. Straight-up adult dramedy about a regular middle-aged guy whose marriage quietly ends. He starts bombing at New York open-mic nights to process it; his ex-wife figures out who she is now that the kids are older. No sermons, no identity lectures, no “systemic” rants—just two decent people untangling a long relationship and co-parenting like adults. Some diverse faces in the friend circle (Bradley Cooper’s character has a Black wife played by Andra Day; a couple side characters are gay), but they’re background people, not plot devices or moral lessons. Personal “identity” here means “what do I do with my life now,” not group politics. Zero evidence of activist messaging or creator lectures. Feels like a throwback relationship movie.

Question 2

Is there DEI in Is This Thing On??

Accepted Answer

The biggest factors in our score are Representation / casting choices, Identity-driven story themes, Creator track record context. As their marriage quietly unravels, Alex faces middle age and an impending divorce, seeking new purpose in the New York comedy scene while Tess confronts the sacrifices she made for their family—forcing them to navigate co-parenting, identity, and whether love can take a new form.

Is This Thing On?

Factors & Ratings

Summary

Main Cast

Director & Crew