Jay Kelly review: George Clooney charms in showbiz comedy about how stars arent just like us
George Clooney shines in his latest film, *Jay Kelly*, delivering one of the most entertaining comedic performances of his career. Directed and co-written by Noah Baumbach, this film explores the complexities of fame and personal relationships through the lens of Hollywood’s glitzy yet isolating world. Clooney plays Jay Kelly, a once-revered movie star grappling with the realities of his life as he faces estrangement from his eldest daughter, Jessica, and the impending departure of his youngest, Daisy, for college. As Jay embarks on an impromptu European trip with his entourage—comprised of his manager Ron (Adam Sandler) and publicist Liz (Laura Dern)—the film cleverly juxtaposes the highs of celebrity life with the emotional lows that come with it.
Clooney’s portrayal of Jay is a delightful mix of swagger and vulnerability, showcasing his talent for balancing comedic pratfalls with moments of genuine introspection. The film opens with Jay on set, expertly executing a dramatic death scene, only to reveal his charming and personable nature behind the camera as he interacts with crew members. However, the film’s humor is underpinned by a poignant exploration of what it means to be a movie star. As Jay’s journey progresses—from Paris to an Italian film festival where he is set to receive a lifetime achievement award—he is forced to confront the superficiality of his relationships and the sacrifices he has made for his career. The supporting cast, including Sandler and Dern, deliver standout performances that add depth to the narrative, with Sandler’s character embodying a mix of gentle support and delusional optimism, while Dern’s portrayal brings a sense of urgency and frustration to the unfolding chaos.
*Jay Kelly* transcends the typical showbiz comedy by offering a heartfelt critique of the entertainment industry and the blurred lines between personal and professional life. Baumbach’s writing deftly navigates the complexities of relationships in the spotlight, ultimately crafting a narrative that is both humorous and thought-provoking. As Jay navigates his identity crisis and the disintegration of his entourage, the film reminds us that while the allure of fame can be intoxicating, it often comes with a heavy price. With its clever scripting, engaging performances, and a keen sense of emotional resonance, *Jay Kelly* is set to be a crowd-pleaser when it hits select theaters on November 14 and later on Netflix on December 5. This film is not just a comedy; it’s a love letter to the industry, recognizing its flaws while celebrating the connections that bind us all.
George Clooney delivers one of the best comedic performances of his career in
Jay Kelly.
As a long-time devotee of his Coen Bros’ comedy
O Brother, Where Art Thou?,
I don’t say that lightly. However, Noah Baumbach has created a role that feels tailored to Clooney’s particular brand of star power. And Clooney struts, takes pratfalls, and soars with grace, goofiness, and pathos.
Clooney has built a career on his ability to pivot from swaggering dreamboat (
Out of Sight
,
Ocean’s Eleven
through
Thirteen
) to rugged action star (
From Dusk Till Dawn
,
The Peacemaker, Three Kings
) to arrogant buffoon (
O Brother, Burn After Reading, Hail, Caesar!
). In
Jay Kelly,
he does all three. But more than that, he does all three to interrogate what it means to be a movie star. When you’re a public figure known for playing larger-than-life action heroes, what’s reality to you? Who are you to your family and friends when your career is dependent on presentation, and you’re more focused on that than parenting or loyalty?
Directed and co-written by Baumbach, who previously channeled his own life into the explosive divorce drama
Marriage Story
, Jay Kelly
is more cutting than its bouncy name and beguiling leading man might suggest. With a supporting cast that includes Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, Patrick Wilson, Riley Keough, and
Jay Kelly
co-writer Emily Mortimer, this showbiz comedy brilliantly displays the highs and lows of working in movies, without losing sight of exactly how high those highs are.
Far from a woe-is-me movie,
Jay Kelly
is a shrewdly winsome affair that shows many of the ways stars aren’t just like us — and several crucial ways they are.
Jay Kelly
is all about that work-life balance, puppy.
For decades, Jay Kelly (Clooney) has been a star, collecting fans, building his filmography, growing his entourage, and even having a couple of daughters and ex-wives along the way. You might think that with all the success and wealth he’s attained, he’d welcome some time away from the sets and shooting schedules. But what would he do with that?
Let alone, Jay must face that he’s estranged from his eldest, Jessica (Keough), while his college-bound youngest, Daisy (Grace Edwards), is eager to bounce from his house to be on her own. He has no wife. His friends — including his manager, Ron (Sandler), and his publicist, Liz (Dern) — are all on his payroll. So when a run-in with an old friend (Crudup) sends him into an identity crisis, Jay joyously bullies his whole entourage into an impromptu trip across Europe, starting in Paris and ending up in an Italian film festival, where he’ll get a lifetime achievement honor.
Along the way, he’ll encounter awestruck fans, ride in transit that has no first class, and be forced to look back on his life, whether he likes it or not.
George Clooney is absolutely excellent as Jay Kelly.
The film begins onset, with Jay playing out a death scene that naturally involves a mournful monologue, a fatal gunshot wound, and
an adorable dog actor.
Immediately, Mortimer and Baumbach gives us a taste of Jay’s talent, onscreen and off. As soon as the camera cuts, he’s quick to glad-hand and cheer individual members of the crew by name, and they all light up as he looks at them. He’s that kind of star.
Back home; however, he’s a doofy dad to Daisy, who eye rolls as he whines he’s lonely. “You’re never alone,” she chides as his security guard hands him a fresh, icy beverage.
Even in accepting the glass, Clooney has a keen sense of comedic timing. He’s long been brilliant at playing the dope. Here, he plays a man who’s never been deep, but who has been able to fake it onscreen. So, when he’s actually having this crisis of self-reflection, he throws himself into action — including being involved in a chaotic and comedic chase scene. However, nothing in this movie will unfold like the movies. Jay’s sweeping gestures, carried off with Clooney’s booming charisma, fall flat to those closest to him because they are all show, no substance. And in this, he’s forced to face how he pursued his work — which is very image-oriented — over his family and friends, failing to foster deep bonds. And he’s not alone in this.
Adam Sandler and Laura Dern are shockingly well-matched in
Jay Kelly.
Having to wrangle Jay like he’s a child (or a swarm of cats), Ron and Liz take on near-parental roles as they prep everything to guide and protect him. Where Ron’s the gentle father, always cajoling and calling Jay by the loving nickname “puppy,” Liz is the tough-love mom, forced to be frank because someone has got to be when the tabloids are circling. Far from archetypes, however, these characters exhibit complexity in scenes beyond their interactions with Jay.
As the trip through Europe goes increasingly off the rails, Jay’s entourage sheds one member after another as they make choices that aren’t him — a bigger client, a sick dog, a child back home, and so on. There’s a sense of a party coming to a close, and a question about who will be the last one standing.
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Dern vibrates with frustration at every bump in the road, while Sandler is her foil, ever jovial, maybe even delusionally optimistic. They’re a comedic duo who bounce off each other with an ardent emotional understanding. For all Academy Award winner Dern’s drama chops, Emmy nominee Sandler’s able to keep pace in a role that could get him some Best Supporting nominations. Imagine
Uncut Gems
with the intensity turned down and the facade of jolly calm cranked way up. Ron is a man desperate to make everything OK, even to the point where he himself is deeply not. And in that, Baumbach grows comedy and agony. Dern is the cherry on top, giving a cool sense of regret that lingers even after her character has gone.
Jay Kelly
is a showbiz comedy with heart.
Incredibly,
Jay Kelly
becomes an odd love letter to the industry, one that recognizes its warts and still declares devotion. Through this story, Baumbach explores how everyone involved, from movie stars to make-up artists and security guards, struggles to draw the line between their professional and personal lives. Sure, you love your family, but what if you love your job and the people who are a part of it? The line gets blurrier and blurrier. And what kind of life does that build?
The answer
Jay Kelly
gives is unexpected and heartwarming rather than pat and sentimental. Clooney, Sandler, and Baumbach come to a conclusion that is both deeply Hollywood and yet sincere. In the end,
Jay Kelly
is a clever crowd-pleaser, guaranteed to amuse and make you think.
Jay Kelly
was reviewed out of the New York Film Festival. The movie opens in
select theaters on Nov. 14
, then comes to
Netflix on Dec. 5
.
