Jay Kelly Review: The Unexpected Duo of Clooney and Sandler Will Blow Your Mind

Back in December, Noah Baumbach teamed up with George Clooney and Adam Sandler for Jay Kelly, with Clooney playing the titular role. The film follows Kelly and his longtime manager (played by Sandler) as they travel across Europe, with their relationship slowly being tested along the way. The film also features a strong supporting ensemble including Laura Dern, Patrick Wilson, Billy Crudup, Stacy Keach, Eve Hewson, Jim Broadbent, and Greta Gerwig.

After its release on Netflix, alongside a limited theatrical run for awards consideration, Jay Kelly has been met with positive reviews, with both Clooney and Sandler receiving Golden Globe nominations for their performances. I actually watched this back in December but never got around to reviewing it. However, with Adam Sandler recently winning the Astra Award for Best Supporting Actor – Comedy or Musical for his role in the film, I decided to revisit it to celebrate his win. So after watching it for a second time, here are my thoughts on Jay Kelly.

I think this film is a real step up for Baumbach after White Noise. It’s more relatable, the characters feel more grounded, and the story moves at a much better pace. I really like how the film works as an insight into the life of a Hollywood movie star and the sacrifices you have to make to pursue that dream. It also feels very meta, especially with Clooney in the role, as the film ends with a tribute montage using clips from Clooney’s real career.

Clooney and Sandler are definitely the stars of the show. Clooney’s character feels like a slightly fictionalised version of himself, but in a good way — it’s a playful, emotional performance that highlights what Clooney does best. That said, I think Sandler is even stronger here. He’s the emotional anchor of the film, and his performance feels deeply relatable. Being the man who has to hold everything together for a movie star clearly takes a toll, and Sandler plays that exhaustion and loyalty beautifully.

The supporting cast is excellent, but no one quite reaches the same level as Clooney and Sandler. The standout for me is Billy Crudup, who only appears for about ten minutes but completely steals every scene he’s in. It’s a strong ensemble overall, but this is very much a two-hander driven by two powerhouse performances.

Baumbach’s direction is also impressive, especially on a technical level. Linus Sandgren’s cinematography makes incredible use of the European locations, Nicholas Britell’s score is one of my favourites of the year, and the editing is very cleverly handled. One of the most impressive things is how the film blends flashbacks into the story — they feel seamless and never like a distraction from the main narrative.

The only thing stopping Jay Kelly from being one of my absolute favourites is that it does drag in a few places. It’s a strong story about legacy and fame, but there are moments that could have been tightened up to keep the momentum going.

I also found out that the role of Jay Kelly was originally meant for Brad Pitt before he left the project, which led to the role being rewritten for Clooney. Honestly, I can see that working. The character is designed to be a legendary movie star, so it could have been played by almost any major A-lister. Still, it would have been fun seeing a tribute montage featuring Fight Club, Inglourious Basterds, and Snatch if Pitt had stayed on. Somewhere in an alternate reality, that version exists.

Overall, Jay Kelly is a great film that explores themes of legacy, sacrifice, and regret. Baumbach’s writing and direction, combined with the performances, cinematography, score, and editing, make this a really rewarding watch. My biggest Oscar hope is that Adam Sandler lands a Best Supporting Actor nomination — he absolutely deserves it.

I’m giving Jay Kelly a 9 out of 10 and 4.5 out of 5 stars. It’s not quite on the level of Marriage Story for Baumbach, and I slightly prefer Happy Gilmore 2 out of Sandler’s two 2025 films, but this is still one I’d strongly recommend.

What did you think?

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