---
title: "Jay Kelly"
year: 2025
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/jay-kelly"
fi1m_id: "jay-kelly"
imdb_id: "tt30446847"
tmdb_id: 1069905
wikidata_id: "Q124829697"
fi1m_score: 64
critics_score: 69
critics_reviews: 16
published: "2026-09-09"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:47.255229+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Jay Kelly (2025)

Directed by Noah Baumbach · 2h 12m · MPA R · Drama, Comedy

## Identity

Jay Kelly

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/jay-kelly
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** jay-kelly
- **IMDb ID:** tt30446847
- **TMDB ID:** 1069905
- **Wikidata ID:** Q124829697
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30446847/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1069905, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q124829697

**Fi1m score: 64** · Critics 69 from 16 reviews

*In a sentence:* Adam Sandler carries the luggage, the plot and the film, and George Clooney gets the applause

> Noah Baumbach has made a warm, handsome comedy about a film star who notices, late, what his fame has cost him. Adam Sandler is quietly wonderful and the memory sequences are the best idea in it; the film likes Jay Kelly rather more than it should.

## Synopsis

Jay Kelly (George Clooney) is a film star of long standing, adored by strangers and only half known by his family. After finishing a shoot, a chance meeting with an old acquaintance, Timothy (Billy Crudup), unsettles him. His younger daughter Daisy (Grace Edwards) is leaving for Europe, a tribute is waiting for him in Tuscany, and so he follows, with his manager Ron (Adam Sandler) and his team on the same train. As the countryside goes by he slips into memories, which the film stages as short films of their own. Back home his older daughter Jessica (Riley Keough) has stopped expecting his calls. Laura Dern and Stacy Keach are in the ensemble. Noah Baumbach directs, from a script written with Emily Mortimer.

## Review

Noah Baumbach, writing with Emily Mortimer, has made a film about a famous actor and cast George Clooney to play him, which saves the script a good deal of explaining. Jay Kelly is loved by strangers and only half known by his family, and in its 132 minutes he starts to notice the difference. The result is warm, handsome and often funny. It is also softer on its subject than it should be, and that softness is what separates a good Baumbach film from this one.

The set-up is quick. Jay finishes a shoot, runs into Timothy (Billy Crudup), an old acquaintance with a grievance, and comes away rattled. His younger daughter Daisy (Grace Edwards) is off to Europe; a tribute is waiting for him in Tuscany; so he follows her, with his manager Ron (Adam Sandler) and the rest of his people packed onto the same train. As the countryside goes by, he remembers. Baumbach stages the memories as small films in their own right, lit and scored and cut like the real thing, and the idea is the best one the film has: a man whose past comes back to him with a crew attached.

Sandler is the reason to go. Ron is the man who books the rooms, carries the bags and remembers which daughter is which, and Sandler plays him stooped, soft-voiced and always half a pace behind. He does something particular during Jay’s speeches: he listens to stories he has clearly heard before and finds a fresh place to nod. It moved us more than we expected, and more than anything Jay says about himself, which is the film’s problem in a sentence. Sandler barely raises his voice for two hours and we watched him more closely than anyone else on screen.

Clooney does the thing he does, the dipped head, the slow grin, the voice that has never had to apologise, and Baumbach wants us to watch it curdle. In places it does. But every time a scene threatens to leave Jay exposed, someone in the frame smiles at him and the script lets him off. The reviews so far are mostly kinder than we are and a couple are much crueller, and we think both camps are responding to the same thing: the film cannot quite bring itself to dislike its own star.

Linus Sandgren shoots Europe in late, honey-coloured light, train windows full of hills, hotel rooms with the curtains half drawn, and it is pretty in a way that costs nothing. Nothing here looks as if it has ever been paid for. Mark Tildesley’s interiors are expensive and unlived-in wherever the train stops, which is right for a man who lives in hotels. Jacqueline Durran dresses Clooney in soft knits and linen that look as if the hotel supplied them. Nicholas Britell’s score swells for the memories, where it belongs, and swells again for the present-day scenes, where it is telling us to feel what Clooney has not yet earned.

Valerio Bonelli and Rachel Durance cut the memory sequences with real snap. The train they let sit, and it sits for a good forty minutes in the middle, while side plots involving Patrick Wilson, Eve Hewson and Alba Rohrwacher come and go without leaving much behind; by the second stop we were looking at the scenery. Laura Dern’s Liz gets a couple of sharp exchanges with Clooney and then rather vanishes. Riley Keough, as the older daughter Jessica, has the film’s hardest job, being angry with a charming man, and does it without shouting. Stacy Keach plays Jay’s father with a stillness the rest of the picture could have used. Jim Broadbent and Greta Gerwig pass through.

Baumbach’s best films, [*The Squid and the Whale*](https://film.one/film/the-squid-and-the-whale) (2005) and *Marriage Story* (2019), let their people be unforgivable for a while before anyone is allowed to forgive them. Here nobody stays in the wrong for longer than a scene. The jokes about the business are good and the observations about fatherhood are true, and they are delivered in a light so flattering that neither quite lands.

See it for Sandler, for the memories, and for the pleasure of watching Clooney work; there is real pleasure in that, even when the film is congratulating him. It runs 132 minutes and carries a 15, and the last ten of them are the best, so stay in your seat.

*Fi1m score 64, published 9 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics like Jay Kelly, and the reservations they hold are fairly consistent. Praise settles first on George Clooney, cast as an ageing star reckoning with what his fame has cost his family, with several reviews calling it among his best work. Adam Sandler’s turn as the manager is singled out nearly as often, and a strand of the cooler reviews finds him the warmer presence, arguing the film asks us to feel for a central character it never quite makes sympathetic. Noah Baumbach’s script draws credit for moving between comedy and midlife melancholy without lurching.

The reservations cluster around softness: the satire is called gentle to the point of thin, the sentiment indulgent, and the European train stretch in the middle slack. The spread is wide, from the Telegraph’s near-rapture to the Guardian’s dismissal of it as self-indulgent Hollywood self-adoration, though most reviews land somewhere warm and qualified.

## Straight answers

**Is Jay Kelly worth watching?**

*Jay Kelly* is worth watching for Adam Sandler, who plays the film star's manager with a quiet care that moved us more than anything the star says about himself, and we scored it 64. Noah Baumbach's comedy is warm, handsome and often funny, but it is softer on George Clooney's Jay than it should be, and the train sits still for a long middle stretch.

**How long is Jay Kelly, and what is it rated?**

*Jay Kelly* runs 2h 12m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a drama and comedy film.

**Where can I watch Jay Kelly in the US?**

*Jay Kelly* is streaming on Netflix in the US. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Jay Kelly, and is it suitable for children?**

*Jay Kelly* carries a UK 15 certificate and is not violent or frightening; it is a talkative comedy-drama about a film star, his manager and his family, and the 15 reflects adult language and themes rather than anything alarming. It is not for children, who would be bored, but teenagers of 15 and over will find nothing in it to trouble them.

**How does Jay Kelly compare to 8½?**

*Jay Kelly* borrows its shape from Federico Fellini's [*8½*](https://film.one/film/812): a famous man in crisis, remembering everything at once, with the memories staged as films of their own. Fellini's picture is the stranger and the better, harder on its hero and more demanding of its audience; Baumbach's is gentler company, funnier about the film business and easier to sit through, but it forgives Jay too quickly where Fellini keeps his director squirming.

**What should I watch after Jay Kelly?**

After *Jay Kelly*, try [*8½*](https://film.one/film/812) (1963, Fi1m 91): Fellini’s film-maker in crisis, remembering everything at once, and the picture Baumbach is glancing at. Then [*Sunset Boulevard*](https://film.one/film/sunset-boulevard) (1950, Fi1m 91): Wilder’s forgotten star, played by one, and far less forgiving of the trade; and [*Birdman*](https://film.one/film/birdman-or-the-unexpected-virtue-of-ignorance) (2014, Fi1m 82): A famous face fighting his own reputation, shot in one apparently unbroken breath.

### Reviews we read (22)

- **The Telegraph** (90/100, inferred): This deeply wise and mischievous midlife crisis comedy probes movie stardom through a silvery film star questioning what his fame has amounted to. The final scene is a knockout that pushes the conceit to breaking point and gets away with it. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2025/12/05/jay-kelly-review-george-clooney/)
- **The i Paper**, Francesca Steele (85/100, inferred): A beautifully judged meta masterpiece about the perils of showbusiness and midlife regret, with Clooney and Sandler on fire in their roles. The smart script dances between wry humour and existential meditation, inviting the audience in at every turn. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/jay-kelly-review-clooney-sandler-on-fire-4068881)
- **The Independent**, Geoffrey Macnab (80/100, inferred): Clooney gives one of his finest performances as a narcissistic ageing star whose charm eventually wears thin, revealing emotional wreckage. The cleverly crafted screenplay balances in-jokes with perceptive observations on celebrity and family, ultimately tugging at the heartstrings. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/jay-kelly-review-netflix-george-clooney-b2878184.html)
- **The Times** (80/100, inferred): Noah Baumbach’s delightful, funny fantasia on what it is to be a star knocks on Clooney’s persona hard enough to find a telling hollowness while still allowing room for his charms. It ploughs a mellow groove with sun-kissed pleasures from a European train ride. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/jay-kelly-film-review-george-clooney-0kwrczh9l)
- **Vulture** (80/100, inferred): Clooney delivers the performance of his life in a role tailored to his charisma; the film ambles pleasantly through familiar territory but sneaks up emotionally on the viewer. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/jay-kelly-review-george-clooney-gets-the-role-of-a-lifetime.html)
- **Empire**, Laura Venning (65/100, inferred): A sparkling, charming and unashamedly old-fashioned coming-of-middle-age comic drama tailored for Clooney, with strong turns from Sandler and the ensemble. It is wistful and romantic but rather thin, lacking Baumbach’s usual archness. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/jay-kelly/)
- **Radio Times** (3/5): The film is a glossy, inward-looking navel-gaze about a famous actor in late-career crisis that starts promisingly but becomes indulgent. It features a tender performance from Adam Sandler as the manager but fails to make the audience feel for the central character. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/jay-kelly-review-netflix-george-clooney-adam-sandler/)
- **The Observer**, Wendy Ide (60/100, inferred): Baumbach’s gentle satire of stardom takes a soft-focus approach and finds appeal in the superficial world of Hollywood. The lead’s considerable personal charm slightly derails the redemption story about a star realising he has neglected his family. [Read](https://observer.co.uk/culture/film/article/wendy-ides-pick-of-other-films-jay-kelly-left-handed-girl-nuremberg-and-more)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (20/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a dire, sentimental and self-indulgent piece of cine-narcissism about a Hollywood star's midlife crisis. The sharp observations on show business are smothered by bland Tuscan sunshine and Hollywood self-adoration. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/aug/28/jay-kelly-review-even-a-george-clooney-sizzle-reel-cant-save-this-dire-noah-baumbach-effort)
- **Financial Times**, Danny Leigh (★★★☆☆): Baumbach gives us a soft, Fellini-lite satire packed with in-jokes about film stardom. Clooney’s magnetism and Sandler’s vim keep the ultra-lite Hollywood satire tolerable despite its twee moments and bad zany Euro train trip. [Read](https://www.ft.com/content/f3b0bca8-3a79-427c-924d-145e15d2dd25)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Mark Olsen: Clooney delivers a career-summarizing performance as a star reckoning with the toll of his ambition, supported by a strong ensemble including Sandler and Dern. The film blends sharp Hollywood satire with genuine emotional depth and visual flair, emerging as a fully formed knockout. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-11-14/jay-kelly-review-george-clooney-adam-sandler-laura-dern-noah-baumbach)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney: The critic finds the film more often distancing than disarming and mid-tier Baumbach at best. Adam Sandler’s nuanced performance as the manager creates intimacy and heart that the title character largely lacks. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/jay-kelly-review-george-clooney-adam-sandler-noah-baumbach-1236354571/)
- **The New Yorker**: The film follows an aging actor too absorbed in his career to properly raise his daughters, with memories filmed as literal mini-movies. It explores how show-business success proves incompatible with fatherhood. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/11/17/sentimental-value-movie-review-jay-kelly)
- **The New York Times**, Alissa Wilkinson: The film centers on a Clooney-like star confronting the personal costs of his fame and success through memories rendered as movie clips. It is a peculiar, multi-register work that feels personal to both its star and its director. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/movies/jay-kelly-review.html)
- **The Playlist**, Rafa Sales Ross (B+): Clooney anchors this moving dramedy as an aging star confronting the gap between his onscreen image and personal life, with Baumbach and Mortimer crafting witty, earnest scenes that celebrate cinema's magic. The film occasionally drags in its European train-set middle with side plots, but recovers for a tender, crowd-pleasing finale. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/jay-kelly-review-george-clooney-anchors-noah-baumbachs-moving-ode-to-the-magic-of-movie-stars-venice-20250828/)
- **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (80/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a smart and perceptive character study that effortlessly shifts between light comedy and poignant drama. He singles out George Clooney's convincing performance as a movie star confronting an identity crisis for particular praise. [Read](https://deadline.com/2025/08/jay-kelly-review-george-clooney-noah-baumbach-venice-fest-1236498482/)
- **NME**, Matthew Turner (4/5): The critic finds the film an enjoyable meta comedy-drama with strong performances, especially from Clooney as the aging star and Sandler as his manager. The sharp script and mix of laughs and emotion are highlighted as keeping it consistently entertaining despite some self-indulgence. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/jay-kelly-review-george-clooney-adam-sandler-3888682)
- **The Wrap**, Steve Pond (75/100, inferred): The critic calls the film one of Baumbach's most adroit balancing acts, a dramedy that stays light on its feet while dealing with middle-aged panic and melancholy. He singles out George Clooney's ideal, self-aware portrayal of a pampered star for particular praise. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/jay-kelly-review-george-clooney-noah-baumbach/)
- **Collider**, Ross Bonaime (6/10): The critic finds it scattered and shallow despite good intentions and strong performances from Sandler and Clooney, praising the exploration of shared memories but criticizing lack of depth and follow-through on ideas about celebrity and regret. [Read](https://collider.com/jay-kelly-review-george-clooney-adam-sandler-noah-baumbach-netflix/)
- **The Ringer**, Adam Nayman (60/100, inferred): The critic sees it as a clever but overly controlled and predictable metafiction that doesn't fully commit to its satire or emotional depth, praising Sandler's supporting performance and showbiz textures while complaining about the focus on the main character making it airless. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2025/11/14/movies/jay-kelly-netflix-movie-review-george-clooney)
- **Eye for Film**, Paul Risker (40/100, inferred): The critic finds the film has good intentions in exploring fame and fatherhood but is undermined by overly romantic, sentimental and saccharine tones that detract from its deeper aims. Clooney's performance and the themes create friction with a nostalgic, classic Hollywood style that risks feeling disingenuous. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/jay-kelly-2025-film-review-by-paul-risker)
- **Paste**, Jesse Hassenger (7.1): The critic finds it a good but minor and incomplete Baumbach comedy, praising the performances especially Sandler's and some witty moments, but noting it feels scattered and not as sharp or hilarious as previous works. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/noah-baumbach/jay-kelly-nyff-review-george-clooney-adam-sandler-noah-baumbach)

## Details

- **Director:** Noah Baumbach
- **Director:** Noah Baumbach
- **Writer:** Emily Mortimer, Noah Baumbach
- **Cinematography:** Linus Sandgren
- **Editor:** Valerio Bonelli, Rachel Durance
- **Music:** Nicholas Britell
- **Production design:** Mark Tildesley
- **Costume design:** Jacqueline Durran
- **Producer:** Amy Pascal, David Heyman, Noah Baumbach
- **Cast:** George Clooney as Jay Kelly; Adam Sandler as Ron Sukenick; Laura Dern as Liz; Billy Crudup as Timothy; Riley Keough as Jessica Kelly; Grace Edwards as Daisy Kelly; Stacy Keach as Jay's Dad; Jim Broadbent as Peter Schneider
- **Runtime:** 2h 12m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 14 November 2025
- **Genres:** Drama, Comedy
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8GbcVkqZwQ

## Where to watch in the US

- Netflix: streaming

*Checked 2026-09-10.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *8½* (1963), Fi1m 91: Fellini’s film-maker in crisis, remembering everything at once, and the picture Baumbach is glancing at. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/812.md)
- *Sunset Boulevard* (1950), Fi1m 91: Wilder’s forgotten star, played by one, and far less forgiving of the trade. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/sunset-boulevard.md)
- *Somewhere* (2010): Coppola’s actor and his daughter in a hotel; quieter, sadder, and it trusts silence.
- *Birdman* (2014), Fi1m 82: A famous face fighting his own reputation, shot in one apparently unbroken breath. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/birdman-or-the-unexpected-virtue-of-ignorance.md)
- *Marriage Story* (2019), Fi1m 84: Baumbach with the gloves off; the family argument this film keeps stepping away from. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/marriage-story.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/jay-kelly