‘Jay Kelly’ Review: A Love Letter to the Movie Star

Noah Baumbach’s newest feature is a return to form for him. Reminiscent of some of his earlier films, like The Meyerowitz Stories and Frances Ha, Jay Kelly was a refreshing watch for me. The star of each of Baumbach’s films are the screenplay and the ensemble, and this new work keeps up with that trend. Jay Kelly is about an aging movie star trying to reconnect with his daughter before she goes off to college. He follows her on her trip to Europe, using a career tribute as an excuse to be there and taking his entire team with him. What ensues is a road trip movie full of self-reflection, arguments, and sincerity. Read our full review of Jay Kelly below. 

Jay Kelly works on many levels for me. As a big ensemble comedy, I found it quite charming and classic fare from what we expected from Baumbach as a writer. As a soft launch comeback for George Clooney, it was a reminder of why audiences fell in love with him in the first place. Lastly, as an elegy to the life and career of the “movie star,” it is clever and quite somber. Through the film we have these flashback sequences, where Kelly takes you back to a moment in his career. We see the regret, the heartbreak, and the choices he made that lead to where he is now. The current Jay Kelly is not a perfect man. He basically abandoned raising his family for his career while also expecting to be coddled by everyone around him even though he is the maker of his own dysfunction. It makes him incredibly hard to watch at times. This is a person who, whether he wants to or not, puts himself above every person around him. The price of being a movie star. Instead of trying to grasp one last moment of fame, he is grasping for the chance to make memories with his daughter. Very clever, very endearing. 

This movie would not work as well if it was not for the entire cast. Though I think there is no clear standout, each person gives the exact performance you would want. George Clooney and Adam Sandler were given the most screen time, so naturally, they were my favorites, but each of them is giving a performance I would expect. We have seen a better Adam Sandler performance and the same goes for Clooney. That is probably why the film does not excite me as much as it could have. Jay Kelly is a great watch, but ultimately is a tad forgettable and does not leave you with more than an appreciation for Clooney and his career. In a year with many exciting and innovative films, Jay Kelly is simply not the best of the best, but a sweet love letter to the idea and life of the movie star that you would not regret spending your time on. 

Jay Kelly was written and directed by Noah Baumbach and stars George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, and Billy Crudup. The film is available to stream on Netflix.

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