Dir: Noah Baumbach
Cast: George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, Riley Keough, Grace Edwards, Stacy , Jim Broadbent, Patrick Wilson, Isla Fisher, Greta Gerwig, Eve Hewson, Lenny Henry
Noah Baumbach’s unexpectedly gentle Hollywood satire sidesteps self-indulgence by skilfully blending sharp humour and genuine empathy for celebrity culture, as Sandler effortlessly outshines a soul-searching Clooney
My love/hate relationship with writer-director Noah Baumbach has always been a rollercoaster of admiration and frustration. As a fixture of the American indie scene, Baumbach has spent three decades weaving comedy-dramas laced with his trademark sharp wit and cerebral dialogue. While I can appreciate the emotional intelligence of his characters—especially in standouts like “Frances Ha” (2012) and “Marriage Story” (2019)—I often find myself kept at arm’s length by the quirky, sometimes unrelatable figures he creates. This distance has led me to view much of his work as teetering on the edge of pretentiousness, at times echoing the overblown and often hollow later films of Woody Allen – the less said about him, the better. Ironically, Baumbach’s most resonant screenwriting success may not even be for his own film, but rather his collaboration with his wife and creative partner, Greta Gerwig, on the cultural phenomenon “Barbie” back in 2023.
If ever there was a moment for Baumbach to unleash his razor-sharp wit and biting satire, it is with “Jay Kelly”, his latest, self-aware dive into the world of a fading Hollywood icon. After its lukewarm reception at the Venice Film Festival, my expectations were firmly in check—especially after my disappointment with his previous film, “White Noise” (2022). However, in recent months, critics have gradually embraced Baumbach’s Hollywood satire, and its awards buzz has only grown prior to its release on Netflix this past Friday.
“Jay Kelly” marks the fourth successive collaboration between Baumbach and the streaming giant, who also secured distribution rights for the aforementioned “White Noise” and “Marriage Story”, as well as “The Meyerowitz Stories” in 2017, which also starred Adam Sandler in another rare, dramatic role.
Here, Adam Sandler stars as Ron Sukenick, the steadfastly loyal manager to Hollywood royalty Jay Kelly (George Clooney). Both men find themselves on parallel paths of self-reflection, their careers having quietly eroded the bonds with their families. Having already fallen out of favour with his eldest daughter, Jessica (Riley Keough), Jay, in a last-ditch effort to reconnect with his youngest, Daisy (Grace Edwards) before she leaves for college, ditches his latest film and embarks on a spontaneous European quest to find her, tying the trip to a career tribute in Tuscany.
Jay is joined on his travels by Ron and the rest of his entourage, including publicist Liz (Laura Dern), hairstylist Candy (Emily Mortimer), assistant Meg (Thaddea Graham), and a host of other associates, yet as the journey unfolds, each member begins to drift away, realizing that the ties of working for Jay pale in comparison to the pull of their own families.
I approached “Jay Kelly” with caution, my history with Baumbach’s films making me wary. Yet I left the film genuinely impressed by the subtlety and depth he brings to the subject of celebrity. With a protagonist who could have easily become insufferable, Baumbach instead delivers a nuanced portrait of fame, sidestepping the usual traps of either glorifying or mocking Hollywood excess. He walks a tightrope, both poking fun at and empathizing with his movie star lead—a thinly veiled version of Clooney, who seems to relish playing this fictionalised version of himself. The script is delightfully self-aware, riffing on the challenge of actors portraying themselves and leaning into the meta layers of the story. If the meta context wasn’t clear enough, a standout moment depicts a moving tribute to Jay, where the character’s career highlights are, in fact, Clooney’s own, played out in a montage worthy of the Oscars.
While the film toys with the idea of movie stars as untouchable icons, Baumbach grounds the story with the poignant relationship between Jay and Ron. As the entourage peels away during their journey through France and Italy, only Ron remains, clinging to the hope that he is more than just an employee to Jay. Ron’s confusion between paid loyalty and real friendship is heart-breaking, and Sandler delivers a performance stripped of his usual comedic bravado. His portrayal of Ron is raw and deeply sympathetic, providing the film with a pulse of genuine emotion and relatability. Sandler has on rare occasion, proven his dramatic skills, most notably in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Punch-Drunk Love” (2002) and Josh and Benny Safdie’s “Uncut Gems”(2019), but never has the Sandman portrayed a character as likable and sympathetic as Ron.
Clooney, too, shines as Jay, with Linus Sandgren‘s sun-soaked cinematography perfectly capturing the aged movie star’s natural glow and aura, as well as the film’s picturesque European setting. Clooney expertly walks the line between a self-absorbed Hollywood heavyweight and a man haunted by the cost of his own fame. The film’s final moments are unexpectedly moving, transforming what could have been a shallow industry satire into something layered and affecting. While some may still see shades of narcissism or pretension, and a few flashbacks do disrupt the film’s rhythm, Baumbach may have crafted his most emotionally resonant and nuanced work yet.
The Verdict:
“Jay Kelly” took me by surprise, as Noah Baumbach masterfully reins in the usual excesses of Hollywood satire, crafting a story that feels authentic instead of a mere send-up of celebrity life. Even though the characters remain distant, Adam Sandler’s powerful portrayal of the deeply committed Ron anchors the film with genuine emotion, drawing you into the intertwined journeys of self-discovery for both Ron and Jay.
Jay Kelly is now available to stream on Netflix
Dan Loves Film 