A star rating of 3 out of 5.
In Noah Baumbach’s latest movie, “Jay Kelly,” George Clooney seems to glide near his personal experiences, or at least gives the impression that he is doing so.
At the Venice Film Festival, this movie makes its debut, surrounded by the picturesque Tuscan landscape – fittingly, the perfect stage for Lake Como’s most renowned inhabitant to reemerge on the big screen. As a tale about an acclaimed actor grappling with a mid-career predicament, it delves into introspective self-examination that begins promisingly but risks slipping into excessive indulgence.
George Clooney, fresh off completing a cheesy-looking thriller titled Eight Men from Now, finds himself with a two-week break before his next project starts. During this time, he wishes to spend it with his younger daughter Daisy (Grace Edwards), but learns to his dismay that she is planning to travel to Europe for the summer instead.
Subsequently, two significant events cause him to ponder deeply. Firstly, Peter Schneider (Jim Broadbent), the director who launched his career as a budding actor, passes away. Secondly, at the funeral, he crosses paths with Tim (Billy Crudup), an old acting class companion from years past.
Over a shared drink, it becomes evident that Tim harbors resentment towards Jay for taking his part in an audition long ago, leading to a heated argument in the parking lot. The following day, with a noticeable shiner, Jay elects to abandon the upcoming film and jet off to Paris in pursuit of Daisy instead.
Instead of that, consider this: He boards a personal jet along with Ron (Adam Sandler), his longtime manager, Liz (Laura Dern), his publicist, Emily Mortimer, his hair stylist, and various other companions. His reason? Claiming he’s off to a career celebration in Tuscany, an event he had previously declined.
In the heart of the movie, an entertaining scene unfolds where Jay and his crew find themselves on a common train heading to Italy. Since there’s no first class compartment, he shares space with ordinary passengers, as described by Jamie Demetriou from Stath Lets Flats. Amused at spotting a famous figure in everyday life, the people gather around him.
One man exclaims, filled with joy, as if straight from Fellini’s 8½, ‘When I see you, I see my entire life.’ Meanwhile, off-stage, Ron and Liz are frantically managing a worsening predicament, with Tim considering legal action against Jay for the injuries sustained during their bar brawl.
Gradually, Jay finds himself contemplating his personal life more and more, particularly the strained bond he shares with his elder daughter Jessica (Riley Keough). Matters become even more difficult when Ron’s acting client Ben (Patrick Wilson) arrives to collect another accolade, accompanied by his charming family.
When Stacy Keach, playing the role of the hardworking father, eventually shows up, he subtly scolds his son whenever he can. However, by this stage in Baumbach’s film, it begins to delve into stereotypes, particularly with Alba Rohrwacher’s character portraying an overdramatic Italian handler.
In this film, Jay Kelly showcases a subtle, moving portrayal from Adam Sandler, marking his reunion with Baumbach since The Meyerowitz Stories in 2017. Unlike his usual comedic roles as an immature man, Sandler delivers a profound and sincere performance here, playing a character who understands the importance of supporting his own family, which includes his wife portrayed by Greta Gerwig, Baumbach’s partner and co-writer for Barbie. Instead of focusing on Kelly’s fame, he shifts his attention towards caring for his loved ones.
When it comes to Baumbach, his polished collaboration with Clooney seems distinct from the gritty independent films he created with Gerwig, such as Frances Ha and Mistress America. In a sense, it appears as though this project pays homage to Clooney (notice the final montage showcasing clips of Clooney from Syriana, Leatherheads, The Thin Red Line, etc.).
It seems that despite what many people believe, George Clooney’s life isn’t nearly as barren as Jay Kelly’s, quite the contrary. However, the intended emotional connection with his struggling character during crisis moments, unfortunately, fails to fully materialize.
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2025-08-28 23:34