Joey Magidson
It’s easy to discount the plight of actors, particularly famous ones. After all, they’re rich and beloved, so what problems could they possibly have, especially compared to normal folks? At the same time, is their emotional needs any less valid? In Jay Kelly, we see a movie star, as well as his dedicated manager, come to terms with their life choices, personal relationships, treatment of loved ones, and ultimately their legacies. Under the guidance of filmmaker Noah Baumbach, it becomes profound journey, one full of laughs, but also soul. Playing at the Telluride Film Festival, this is one of the very best movies of the fest, as well as 2025 on the whole.
Jay Kelly is a wonderful film, one that has an emotional quotient that sneaks up on you. A Hollywood tale that becomes a road trip flick, while echoing many a meta tale, there’s tricky material at play here, though always presented in a highly entertaining manner. Baumbach is more than capable of tackling it all, though it doesn’t hurt that he has two of the best performances of George Clooney and Adam Sandler‘s respective careers. Clooney and Sandler are perfectly cast and do phenomenal work, as does the entire cast. It’s from top to bottom a magnificent piece of cinema.
Jay Kelly (Clooney) is a huge movie star, one who everyone loves. Surrounded by his team, led by manager Ron (Sandler), he’s well taken care of and seems to have it all. Having just finished a shoot, he’s planning to spend the summer with his daughter Daisy (Grace Edwards) before she goes to college. Then, she tells him that she’s off to Europe with friends, leaving him adrift and, to his surprise, vulnerable. The death of the filmmaker (Jim Broadbent) who launched his career is a further blow, as is a chance encounter with his friend from the days of acting class Timothy (Billy Crudup). That meeting not just unmoors him, but creates a minor scandal, which is all the more reason to put off his next movie and head to Europe in order to run into Daisy, under the guise of accepting a tribute in Italy he’s previously turned down. Of course, he won’t be going alone, as he needs Ron, as well as publicist Liz (Laura Dern), plus the rest of his team.
Once in France to run into Daisy on a train, he encounters real people for the first time in a while. While he’s doing that, Ron is navigating family drama back home, convinced that he’s where he needs to be for his client and friend. However, Liz is growing frustrated and points out to Ron that the friendship is only going in one direction. Jay is also dealing with moments in which he revisits big moments from his career and past, literally stepping into those memories, where he can see where it all went wrong with his eldest daughter (Riley Keough), as well as what actually mattered to him about acting. It all builds to a conclusion that’s shockingly powerful.
George Clooney is genius casting in the title role, while Adam Sandler brings such humanity and warmth to his role. Clooney and Sandler have a complex chemistry here that showcases both how they need each other, as well as how they see each other. The former is playing the character as hardly dumb, but sheltered and only now realizing what he’s missed out on. The latter is slowly coming to the realization that he’s dedicated everything to someone who may not see things as he does. They’re both superb, funny and heartbreaking in equal measure. Both deserve Academy Award nominations, without question. Laura Dern has a smaller role than expected, but she unsurprisingly knocks it out of the part. The big surprise is essentially a one scene performance from Billy Crudup that’s an absolute stunner. It’s easily some of his very best work. In addition to Grace Edwards and Riley Keough, both of whom are good, as well as a wonderfully used Jim Broadbent, the rest of the supporting cast includes Isla Fisher, Greta Gerwig, Eve Hewson, Stacy Keach, Emily Mortimer, Patrick Wilson, plus many more.
Noah Baumbach directs a screenplay he co-wrote with Mortimer. Not only is this emotional, funny, and smart stuff, it has impeccable technical details, to boot. Linus Sandgren gives Jay Kelly a wonderful visual language with his gorgeous cinematography, while Nicholas Britell‘s score works its way right into your heart. Baumbach and Mortimer lean in to some heady elements, with Baumbach’s direction the most assured of his career. It’s his best film overall, though also just an exciting new evolution in his filmmaking.
Jay Kelly blew me away. It may well go down as Noah Baumbach’s masterpiece, as well as some of the fullest work we’ll ever see from Clooney and Sandler. It’s almost hard to explain what makes this such a magical experience, but anyone who loves movies and wants the art to mean something will get a lot out of this one. It’s among the very best Telluride has to offer this year and will end up one of the best things I see the rest of the year on the whole. It’s wonderful and exceeded all of my expectations.
SCORE: ★★★★
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