Jay Kelly

I saw this film at the AFI Film Festival in Hollywood. It is a pleasant enough comedy-drama which follows George Clooney as a somewhat nastier version of himself. Adam Sandler as his manager, Laura Dern as his publicist, and Riley Keogh as Clooney eldest daughter provide support and act as Clooney's character's "keepers". The film is light on substance - sort of like the meringue on a lemon pie. Easily digestible but also easily forgettable too - worth a look but not worth going out of your way for it.

The Last Movie Star is the superior and more moving piece of cinema.

While Jay Kelly is thoughtful and elegant, The Last Movie Star is superior due to its visceral, human core and emotional authenticity. Where Jay Kelly offers a polished, modern reflection, The Last Movie Star provides the gut-wrenching counterpoint-a story about mortality, acceptance, and the quiet dignity of a life well-lived, even one filled with mistakes. Burt Reynolds' raw, final performance gives The Last Movie Star a genuine, unforgettable impact that Jay Kelly's beautiful calculation struggles to match.

George Clooney. What can I say? A brilliant actor who really understands his craft. The story is poignant and moving, the humor is well placed, and the scenery is beautiful. As an older man I feel many of the story's elements personally. I appreciated the creativity of the film's methods.

Still, I regret that the film was tedious and slow at times. It feels like it was edited by the director, and not a storyteller.

Mostly great.

I've loved Noah Baumbach from the jump, however here we are in 2025 with a retrospective character study that grabs, dips, and meanders from a semi-relatable introspection to how-did-we-get-here slog. I liked it? Yes, mostly. I was never bored, and I did laugh out loud at quite a few parts, it's just - - - editing, I guess? Some things definitely could have taken up residence on the cutting room floor. Sandler does a fine job, as does the entirety of the cast. I cue Sandler though because Sandler. He isn't exactly known for his subtlety. The music is a nice stand out. Mortimer being co-writer, her character could've gotten more play. And Laura Dern? Love her. But if the film lost her character entirely, that might give the pace a little more? As it stands, it's the cacophonous surroundings of Jay Kelly's world that elevate the film as much as it bogs itself down. Less is more.

"Does anyone involved have any idea how off-putting and unrelatable this is?" -Sean Burns review on Rottentomatoes.

No Sean, clearly they don't, because they all spend 130 minutes basking in the glow of how important and wonderful they are.

Tonally all over the place and infused with endless product placement (Hellman's, Polo, a few watch brands) Jay Kelly is a film that never stops revelling in how important it thinks it is. It took every ounce of energy to restrain myself from walking after the 10th Clooney close-up, an amateurish attempt to make the film seem "deep" or meaningful.

It's not meaningful or profound. We don't care about these people. No relationship feels real. It drones on pointlessly with endless scenes we've seen 100 times before.

This film is everything that's wrong with Hollywood. You won't ever see A24 put out something like this self-pleased, maudlin waste of 2+ hours.