User Reviews

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Jay Kelly tells a moving and nuanced story about the dark side of fame. Noah Baumbach succeeds in avoiding a one-dimensional portrayal of a famous actor and his struggle with life choices. Those involved in the success are not relegated to supporting roles but are given weight and a voice, questioning whether it was all worth it. The ensemble cast is impressive and crucial to the film. However, there are also scenes that feel rather contrived, silly, and somewhat over the top. Nevertheless, it's a very good, profound film that prompts reflection. If one considers the quote at the beginning of the film ("It's a huge responsibility to be yourself..."), then this film is perhaps one of the most important films for George Clooney himself.

There’s something deeply sad about Jay Kelly, but not a forced or solemn sadness — it’s the kind that sneaks in quietly. From the very beginning, it’s clear this isn’t about glamour or Hollywood mythology, but about what’s left when the spotlight goes out and you’re no longer sure who you are without it. The film moves at an unhurried pace, sometimes almost shy, and trusts looks and silences more than emphasis.George Clooney feels surprisingly exposed here. Not because he does something radically different from before, but because for once he seems willing to accept weariness, melancholy, and a certain sense of emptiness without constantly trying to be likable. It’s a restrained, finely tuned performance built on pauses and small gestures, and without making any noise, it ends up being one of his most honest roles.Adam Sandler is the real surprise. Far from any histrionics, he plays a fragile, tired character who’s far more complex than he first appears. He doesn’t steal scenes or push emotions — he’s simply there, supporting the tone. Even supporting actors like Stacey Keach, so far removed from his tougher or more iconic roles, bring an unexpected humanity that adds a great **** film isn’t perfect. At times it lingers too long in its own world and risks becoming self-absorbed. Some scenes could have been tighter, and a few narrative detours don’t fully land. Still, when it works — and it often does — it achieves something difficult: talking about the cost of fame without cynicism, cruelty, or **** Kelly is a crepuscular tragicomedy, emotional and occasionally painful, that works best when it allows itself to be small. It doesn’t shout or chase easy applause. It’s one of those films that quietly stays with you afterward, like an uncomfortable but honest memory. And these days, that already counts for a lot.

I appreciate the performances and what it was trying to do. It's just so simple and bland. It doesn't go anywhere that you wouldn't already expect it to go. It is a dime a dozen.

The burden of celebrity-hood gets winking treatment in this custom-made George Clooney vehicle. Oh, the challenges of being a superstar: it’s difficult to go out in public; your kids want nothing to do with you; jealous actor friends hate you; doting fans and critics live to party with you. What’s a successful multimillionaire supposed to do? Quit? Turn your back on fame and fortune? Repent? Repair broken relationships? Down to his last friend (Adam Sandler in one of his best roles to date), Jay Kelly does what Jay Kelly must do. And it saves this movie from dipping into sappy morality.

Jay Kelly is a beautiful film in all ways. Themes of family, loneliness, connection surround this film from the first frame to the last. The characters are also well-written, especially Ron and Jay. I really liked our protagonist despite his many flaws. He's a character I didn't want to say goodbye to and I hope he made the right choices even after the film. This movie either made me smile constantly or made my eyes teary. There was no in-between. The story is simple, but completely focused on character, which is lovely, since I enjoy him very much. The directing balances a comedic and dramatic tone very well. The cinematography uses coloured and stylized lighting with some great camera work. The pacing is amazing, I wasn't bored for a second. The production design and the score are also beautiful and I loved the locations. The cast is great and the performances are amazing too, especially the two leads. Possible spoilers: Was that where they filmed Gladiator? Also, that ending is probably the best I've seen in a long time. It's meaningful, it makes sense why Jay would say something like that and it's also kind of gut-wrenching. In life we only have one take.

This was fine I guess. It had a decent message. But it seems below what your expectations would be of George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Greta Gerwig, etc. The ending could have used more exposition. I'm not sure what the viewer was really supposed to take from this aside from the protagonist could have treated people better.

Jay Kelly reads like a tailor-made, interwoven tapestry of fact and fiction—a biographical poem crafted for George Clooney. With delicate strokes, it sketches a microcosm of a filmmaker’s life, while allowing ordinary viewers to glimpse the radiance hidden in the mundane and the essence of existence itself. Woven through with healing warmth and a touch of melancholy, it feels like a mirror to every person’s life.

Um filme que me lembra filmes classicos, com humor simples do dia a dia e com foco em roteiro, te faz pensar na vida e no que realmente vale a pena, adam sandler espetacular como sempre.

painfully dull self-indulgent and mildly offensive to european train travellers even the cheesecake joke turned stale

A movie about self-redemption and finding your true identity. This film will leave you happy and sad at the same time. George Clooney is phenomenal in this and is probably looking forhis Best Actor Oscar win. If you're a father and daughter who are watching this well, then be warned, this will break you in more ways than one.

Jay Kelly arrives on Netflix surrounded by high expectations. Not only because it is part of the awards season calendar, but above all because it brings together elements that usually attract critical attention: Noah Baumbach directing and writing the screenplay, a look at the Hollywood bubble itself, and a cast led by George Clooney and Adam Sandler. At first glance, everything points to a reflective drama about legacy, aging, and artistic identity. However, although the film has obvious qualities, it ends up stumbling over narrative choices that prevent its potential from being fully **** Kelly suffers less from a lack of ideas and more from choices that limit its strength. There is material for a more incisive portrait of the midlife crisis within the film industry, but the film opts for an approach that, in many moments, sounds like a tribute to George Clooney's career. For fans of the actor, this may be appealing, especially in the ending, which functions almost as a tribute. For those who expected a more powerful and emotionally engaging drama, the result may seem short of **** film will certainly be remembered during awards season, driven by the names involved and its thematic proposal. Still, one is left with the impression that Jay Kelly had the potential to be more than it is. What remains is Clooney being Clooney, traveling through Europe, occasional criticism of the Hollywood market, and Adam Sandler standing out as the heart of the film. An elegant project, well executed in many ways, but one that fails to transform its crisis into something truly remarkable.

Jay Kelly kept my interest until i realized it wasn't going to get past its delight in itself -- the movie star reflecting on his past, the cost of his success, the admission that, once achieved, fame was not to be put aside so that a full, personal life might thrive. The final and fatal moment turns on his long-suffering agent relenting and accompanying him to alife achievement award ceremony. Had the agent left, I might have reacted differently, but it didn't. Instead, it surrendered to a cliche and a boring one at that.

Clooney is charming enough, shocker, and a perfect fit for the role. I think the message is strong in its focus but mixed in its delivery. The flashback structure is hit and miss for me.

Jay Kelly feels less like a fictional film and more like a lived-in biography of someone who never actually existed, the story follows key moments in Jay's career in a way that feels natural and honest, and because he's an actor, it's easy to connect his experiences to our own ideas of success, pressure, and identity, Clooney completely embody Jay's perfectly, but Baumbach's storytelling and his creative structure allows the film to unfold in unexpected ways, and somehow it ends up feeling more truthful than many traditional biopics, it's fascinating. Adam Sandler delivers yet another standout dramatic performance, there's none of his usual comedic comfort here, but that absence works in the films favor, and i couldn't get more amazed by his performance, so do Clooney, both Sandler and Clooney make Jay Kelly's world feel real, as if we're watching the private moments of a career we've followed for years. By the time the film reaches its conclusion, it feels earned, several scenes carry a real emotional weight, the kind that sits with you and almost pushes you to tears without forcing it, everything builds naturally to that point, and it lands, overall, i don't think i could have been more impressed with Jay Kelly, i absolutely loved it.

Bored and couldn't finish it. Liked a lot of the beginning, but the movie began to drag and Clooney's character just seemed a bad person trying to redeem himself.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

A nuanced examination of both the good and bad of the acting profession, and fame in general, viewed through the eyes of a star and those in his orbit. Every actor in this film gives a noteworthy performance.

If cinema can reflect moments in time, or a lifetime, this is one such example. The story of an actor, with his origins, conflicts and redemption, achieves an emotional connection with the viewer, precisely because of its resemblance to real life. The closest thing to the best of winter 2025.

The acting throughout the movie is outstanding. I cannot relate to the low user scores. There’s a great underlying vibe and George delivers some very excellent scenes. Adam is unrecognizable, and also delivers some fantastic emotion. There was room for improvement but overall I loved it.

‘Jay Kelly’ tried to say something about the passion for acting, the almost cinematic value of memories, sacrifice, and the difficulty of interpreting oneself in life, especially for a good actor immersed in other lives. Unfortunately, Noah Baumbach’s exploration remains superficial, staying away from that warmer and imperfectly human touch that ‘Marriage Story’ distilled. This time, he chooses to channel his inner Paolo Sorrentino (mainly in the last act) but the little cinematic weight that George Clooney currently has, an uneven script, and unsatisfactory resolutions for much of what was presented here prevent the film from reaching the introspective level of, let’s say, ‘The Great Beauty’ or ‘The Hand of God.’ Apart from that great Billy Crudup moment and some emotional flashback scenes, this Oscar bait fails to impress.

É como assistir vários "casos de família" protagonizados pelo maduro George Clooney, e ainda bem que aqui ele está muito bem. Mas o cinema da Baum bach é isso, lotado de clichês pra família tradicional se ver no espelho e tentar não se achar feia.

Ironically this is a really a celebration of Hollywood narcissism featuring George Clooney as a modern day Cary Grant in search of a soul he never had. It's comedy that is not funny and a drama with all the schmaltz of a Hallmark Christmas movie. Clooney and Adam Sandler will get Oscar nominations and maybe even win, cementing this movie's reputation as a wink-and-nod love letter to the fantasy that most ambitious people in show business are kind, ethical and down-to-earth..

Could not get past the first thirty minutes. George Clooney is entirely unwatchable in this.

’Jay Kelly’ takes us through the life of an aging actor who begins to rethink what he’s done with his life and everything he’s missed out on. George Clooney gives one of the best performances of his career in a role that allows him to go through all the emotions and hardships of a life lived behind the camera, a role that feels like it mirrors his life. Adam Sandler gives a fantastic performance as Jay Kelly’s manager, bringing another layer to the complexity of the movie industry and what everyone gives up to be successful in it. It’s a bit of a slow burn, but it’s a really fascinating look at the ins and outs of a life in the spotlight. ‘Jay Kelly’ gets subtle but fantastic performances out of George Clooney and Adam Sandler, with a film that is emotional and reflective on moments missed and lives lived. Brad: 8.5 Josh: 8 Full Review: wbtp.link/youtube

It missed the mark. Attempt at fame, Hollywood, celebrity but the elements do not gel. George Clooney did not carry the movie.

Lo poderoso de Clooney aquí…más que su actuación, es cómo juega con su propia sombra pública:la elegancia envejecida, el encanto automático, el carisma que ya no le sirve. Desde fuera del cine:Jay Kelly es un hombre que se da cuenta de que toda su identidad era un personaje que ya no quiere interpretar. Su mirada perdida en ciertos planos no es actuación exagerada; es una confesión. Ron…Ron… Ron es la metáfora de todos los que viven soportando el peso de los sueños ajenos mientras los propios se marchitan.

The successful actor, mourning himself at the end of his career, breaks free from his everyday routine. That's the plot, and unfortunately, there's nothing more to it. Flashbacks are repeatedly too long and emotionally overwrought. The dialogue is hackneyed, overly detailed, meaningless, and the jokes fall flat. So much so that the viewer barely has time to breathe amidst all the self-pity in this far too long film. Unfortunately, from the second quarter onward, the direction blends modern and 60s/70s films. Ah, how melancholic the lives of aging Hollywood stars are; they have to make movies for streaming services. What about the viewer? Do they deserve some sympathy too?

"Jay Kelly" is too syrupy, schmarzy, and Oscar-baitish. I didn't care for any of the characters. They were heartless, and their motivations didn't make sense. This is a forgettable piece of tear-jerking cinema.

George Clooney plays an aging movie star, who starts to look back at his life and his failings, esp. as a father and friend. It’s a role that fits Clooney comfortably and he inhabits it with his usual charm. Most impressive is Adam Sandler’s nuanced performance as his manager. He's a revelation! Billy Crudup’s menu monologue is an instant cinema classic. Director Noah Baumbach, who wrote with Emily Mortimer on her first screenplay, has touches of comedy surrounding the serious encounters. He’s also added flourishes of cinematic fantasies to amplify the memory moments. This journey of personal reckoning proves sometimes amusing, often winsome, occasionally affecting and ultimately rewarding for the actor and us

Those familiar with my writing are likely well aware that I have often said the cardinal sin in moviemaking is predictability (why see a film if you already know what’s going to happen?). On the heels of that belief, my second biggest cardinal sin in this field is a lack of originality (to a great degree because predictability often walks hand in hand with this shortcoming). And, unfortunately, those are the problems that sink this latest effort from writer-director Noah Baumbach. In a nutshell, this offering tells the story of its self-important title character (George Clooney), a successful but aging movie star who’s beginning to realize that his life has slipped away from him, leaving him with a pile of professional and personal regrets, many of which involved burning some significant bridges. Through a series of flashbacks (and a whole lot of vacuous hand wringing that’s quickly and easily dismissed), he sees – perhaps for the first time – how he’s squandered much of his time and alienated many kindreds, leaving him feeling fundamentally empty. (Now there’s a novel idea for a story – a pampered, self-absorbed LA celebrity who experiences a midlife (or, in this case, a late life) crisis and goes into meltdown mode to haplessly search for “meaning.”) But haven’t we already seen this storyline play out countless times before in other releases, such as “All That Jazz” (1979), “**** Memories” (1980) (and the film it’s based on, “8½” (1963)), “Bardo” (2022) and “Birdman” (2014), to name only a few. So what does “Jay Kelly” offer that’s new to this narrative? Frankly, nothing. And, to make matters worse, it doesn’t even traverse this well-worn ground very effectively (all of the aforementioned predecessors having done a much better job at this). There’s little to like about – or even empathize with – any of the characters in this story, leaving viewers to sigh a big “So what?” Even the protagonist is unengaging, coming across as an amalgamation of his (i.e., in essence, Clooney’s) on-screen personas. The effect of this is shamelessly self-congratulatory that essentially plays like a reel of the actor’s greatest hits, set against a backdrop of superficiality and relentlessly obtrusive product placement (again, so what?). In fact, the most interesting players in this production are the supporting characters, such as an old acting school colleague (Billy Crudup) and the director who gave Kelly his start (Jim Broadbent). Regrettably, though, these characters are relegated to comparatively small roles with little screen time. The supporting character who receives the lion’s share of such attention is Kelly’s manager (Adam Sandler), a wholly uninteresting, inconsequential cast member who could have been easily eliminated without losing a thing. In short, this whole affair is so shallow and so LA-clichéd that it’s difficult to care about any of it in the slightest, all the while trying to pass itself off as something sublimely profound. (Yawn.) Sadly, this vehicle is a waste of Clooney’s and Baumbach’s considerable talents. Both are better than what they’ve produced here. Indeed, if there’s genuine tragedy to be had in this effort, their derivative, uninspired creative output on this project would undoubtedly be it.

That ending really got me! Very surprised by the mixed reaction, I found this to be a beautiful, beautiful film.

easily baumbach’s most well-directed movie. it’s been fascinating to see the improvement of his directorial choices since marriage story and I’m happy to see him experimenting.

A couple plot threads seem to exist just to give the stacked cast enough to do, but mostly Jay Kelly is an admirably delicate mediation on acting and **** and who pays the costs thereof.

Cannot believe this film expects me to sympathize with wealthy, powerful men and their problems. It's tedious, self-important, and a total slog to sit through. Save your time.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

"Jay Kelly" is a smart, funny, and surprisingly emotional ride that deftly interrogates what it means to be a human and an artist in equal measure – and the unfair family sacrifices required to be great and have success. Noah Baumbach gives a complex character study with themes of time, regret, and ego, exploring how these forces shape not only oneself but the lives of those around us. Beloved movie star Jay Kelly is being honored with a lifetime achievement award in Italy. To help mark the occasion, his longtime agent Ron begins the challenging task of assembling Jay’s entourage for the trip. However, the journey becomes more complicated as Jay makes unexpected changes to the itinerary, inviting family and friends who seem anything but thrilled to be part of the celebration. As the travel party gradually dwindles, Jay is forced into reflection on the sacrifices, regrets, and career choices that brought him to this milestone. Clooney delivers a layered performance, oscillating between superficial charm and heavy introspection, that subtly blurs the line between character and actor. A standout montage that interweaves footage from Clooney’s actual filmography lends the performance an almost autobiographical weight, adding depth to a character already steeped in fame, nostalgia, and self-delusion. Equally compelling is Adam Sandler, who continues to impress with his increasingly nuanced dramatic work. As Ron Sukenick, Jay’s weary and overextended agent, Sandler dials back his trademark comedic persona in favor of quiet nuanced pathos. Caught between the demands of his high-maintenance client, his personal obligations, and his own faltering aspirations, Ron becomes the emotional conduit through which we witness the collateral damage of orbiting a narcissistic star. Sandler plays it with restraint and empathy, delivering one of the film’s most resonant performances. This seemingly benign moment in Jay Kelly of two stars sharing space at the end of a long journey does not have its swelling effect without two more moments after it and a dozen more before it. That’s the level of emotional accumulation and sophisticated emphasis assembled by Baumbach in the director’s chair, fleshing out actress Emily Mortimer’s first feature script. The two cultivate a depth of detail where every line and encounter adds merit towards affirming the bigger themes at hand. Before the big star and his humble manager tie these concluding bow ties, Jay Kelly creates a man facing personal and career crises that are colliding unexpectedly. After wrapping his latest picture, Jay learns that his longtime friend and mentor director, Peter Schneider (Academy Award winner Jim Broadbent), has died. Attending the funeral, Jay runs into his old acting classmate, Timothy (Billy Crudup), and they agree to catch up over drinks. What begins as two former buddies swapping stories and comparing craft turns into a heated confrontation. We learn Jay got the big break Timothy didn’t, and that perceived slight still lingers. The encounter with Timothy swerves and threatens to become a possible PR debacle, which activates Jay’s people, including Ron and his publicist, Liz (the excellent and frazzled Laura Dern). More piercingly, though, the verbal salt rubbed into egotistical wounds by Crudup’s dynamite single scene is a colossal trigger for Jay beginning to consider the costs of his ****. create layered practical sets emulating leaps in time and locale that allow Clooney’s older Jay to “walk into” his old memories as a voyeuristic observer. While these ingenious scene transitions play very showy and coy, they ramp up the underlying duel between pride and regret inside Jay Kelly. He adamantly chose to chase **** and likely would again. Still, beneath his gilded reputation and material riches are two failed marriages, a woulda-coulda-shoulda onset co-star romance (Flora and Son star Ewe Hewson), and two daughters, Jessica and Daisy (Mad Max: Fury Road’s Riley Keough and Grace Edwards of Asteroid City), who are recipients—make that, victims—of his absentee parenting. Running away from the Timothy situation, Jay gets it in his mind to surprise Daisy on her post-graduation vacation in Paris in a last-gasp effort to spend quality time together on his way to a career tribute being awarded to him in Tuscany. Ron, Liz, and the rest of Jay’s entourage are caught up in this whim and leave their families (including Baumbach’s wife and fellow filmmaker Greta Gerwig playing Ron’s understanding wife Lois) behind to chase their work responsibilities and their employer’s tailspin. "Jay Kelly" is an inspiring look at self-examination and introspection, exceeded by the performances of Clooney and Sandler. It is evenly melancholy and humorous, which is a departure for Baumbach. So maybe that's the reason why some have been lukewarm but the truth is that if you're person whose had to make sacrifices you definitely relate and moved by.