‘On A String’ Review – Isabel Hagen’s Slight New York Comedy Hits A Few Grace Notes [Tribeca 2025]

You may or may not know Isabel Hagen, the comedian and musician whose unique blend of stand-up comedy, virtuosic viola, and niche musician humor has earned her a modest following in the New York comedy scene. She has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon twice, performed in comedy shows around the country, and maintains a career as a freelance musician who has performed on Broadway and NPR’s Tiny Desk. Her life exists at the center of a unique Venn diagram, which makes it all the more thrilling that she has made the transition into filmmaking with On a String, a humble indie comedy making its World Premiere at Tribeca this week. Hagen writes, directs, and stars in On a String – the only triple threat in the festival’s 12-film U.S. Narrative Competition slate – which makes it all the more surprising that the film lacks much of the sharpness, wit, and panache that make her a singular stand-up.

Hagen stars as a semi-autobiographical version of herself, specifically a working viola player whose dreams of a prosperous musical career haven’t quite panned out since graduating from Juilliard. In between a variety of gigs playing in her freelance string quartet led by her best friend (Ling Ling Huang, similarly a trained violinist), she lives at home with her parents (Dylan Baker and Joy Suprano) and younger brother Owen (Hagen’s real-life and classically trained pianist brother, Oliver Hagen). After a messy breakup, she re-encounters her ex, Dave (John Kroner), a New York Philharmonic cellist who encourages her to apply for a recent viola opening in the orchestra. Meanwhile, a chance encounter leads Isabel to tutor a young girl whose father (Frederick Weller) may or may not have the hots for her.

All of these seemingly disparate subplots feel familiar to anyone who is even vaguely connected to the world of NYC’s freelance music scene and have all the makings for a singular portrait of what it looks like to be a struggling professional musician in 2025. The issue is that, while all of these plots play into the kind of personal insecurities and professional stagnation that Hagan is exploring in the screenplay, they never quite coalesce into one unifying theme or message, nor do they ever intertwine in a way that meaningfully speaks to one another. As a result, they don’t have much meat on their bones, nor build up to any especially novel or even satisfying conclusion. Isabel’s relapse with Dave proves to be emotionally messy, as does her questionable relationship with her new pupil’s father. The only plot that takes an interesting direction is the lead-up to her Philharmonic audition; however, even that feels concluded after its first and only curveball. It is unsurprising to learn the film is somewhat of an extension of Hagen’s web series, Is a Violist, as the film largely feels cut together with episodic arcs.

Another central issue is Hagen herself, who seems to be playing a far more restrained character than her stand-up persona despite her magnetic stage presence and sharp wit. In On a String, her performance is much more reserved and perhaps intentionally pitiable, something like a medicated Greta Gerwig (genuinely non-derogatory, she happens to look and sound very similar and, once you see it, you can’t unsee it). There’s nothing wrong with inhabiting a different character when the material calls for it, but considering her stand-up comedy is also inspired by her own life (as is the case for most stand-ups), you would think the film would follow suit. Hagen’s performance is a microcosm of her larger directorial voice, which feels disappointingly muted. Shots are very traditionally shot or staged with minimal blocking or camerawork. The film’s color palette is unremarkable with the occasional warm tones. The sets are well-decorated but, aside from her parents’ home, feel uninhabited otherwise.

This isn’t to say On a String doesn’t have its charms, for it has several. Hagen’s screenplay doesn’t suffer the same fate as her direction or performance, full of hilarious moments that both musicians and non-musicians will appreciate (not-so-coincidentally, the film took home the festival’s Best Screenplay prize). One especially funny gag is Isabel interrupting her family’s deep listening sessions to full symphonies, much to the chagrin of her snooty brother; when her mother offers to resume, Oliver complains that it doesn’t matter, for the whole experience has been ruined. This is but one of many funny moments from Hagen’s family quartet, anchored by charming performances from legends Baker and Suprano while supported by Isabel and Oliver’s real-life chemistry. However, the family is not the film’s strongest quartet, for that prize belongs to Isabel’s actual string quartet, who frequently perform throughout the film. Watching talented real-life musicians perform classical staples on screen is, in short, sublime.

It’s clear that Isabel Hagen can cement a unique voice for herself within independent filmmaking, just as she did with stand-up comedy; however, On a String proves that voice has much room to grow. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to make a more straightforward comedy, one that even has a somber, reflective side. In fact, it’s commendable. However, it feels like there is a sharper, stronger comedy at the heart of On a String that is weighed down by standard visual storytelling and a lack of bold, side-splitting humor. While by no means a poor effort, Hagen’s directorial debut does not stand out amongst other indie fare of its ilk, making us cautiously optimistic for what her future as a filmmaker may hold.

On a String held its World Premiere as a part of the U.S. Narrative Competition section of the 2025 Tribeca Festival.

Director: Isabel Hagen

Screenwriter: Isabel Hagen

Rated: NR

Runtime: 78m