Co-writer and director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Marriage Story) helms this dramedy written with Emily Mortimer about a famous film star named Jay Kelly (George Clooney) who in the twilight of his career reflects on his life. Always at his side is his devoted but harried manager, Ron (Adam Sandler), who’s constantly struggling to balance his home life and his needy client. (144 min.)
JAY KELLY
What’s it rated? R
What’s it worth, Anna? Full price
What’s it worth, Glen? Full price
Where’s it showing? The Palm Theatre in SLO (last day is Dec. 11), Netflix
Glen The price of fame is on full display in this heartfelt film about regret and neglect. Jay is a hugely famous actor who’s touched many fans with his films. He’s a bona fide star. He’s also a father of two adult daughters—Daisy (Grace Edwards) and Jessica (Riley Keough). Jessica, a teacher, feels abandoned and angry. Daisy is 18 and ready to take flight … literally. She’s off to Europe just when Jay thought they might have time to connect. Clooney, also a bona fide movie star, is terrific in the role. Wistful and guilt-ridden, his Jay—through cleverly segued flashbacks—looks at past choices and begins to confront who he is at his core. He’s been an empty vessel awaiting a writer and director to fill with a character. Even in his personal life, he’s always acting, playing the charming, kind, and confident movie star. It seems exhausting.
Anna This film is a bit about regret, a bit about longing, and overall, a study in reflection. Jay is a man who can get what he wants because of his status but seems to be forever lonely—no matter how many people surround him. A chance encounter with an old classmate—Timothy (Billy Crudup)—leaves him reeling. Is he the fraud this man sees him to be? More likely he’s someone surrounded by the messiness of life, living in the grayness of reality instead of the black and white that movies can portray. It’s interesting to see Clooney in this reflective movie star role as a man who is wholly recognizable across the globe. I’m sure that this character rang true to the actor in many ways. Sandler is also great here as the put-upon and loyal manager, Ron, who makes personal sacrifices to accommodate Jay’s whimsy. Laura Dern’s character, Liz, sums it up best as she frustratedly tells Ron that the power imbalance means they aren’t truly friends with Jay. Instead, the friendship goes one direction. I really loved this film and found it to be incredibly earnest at its core.
Glen Clooney and Sandler have never acted together before, but they have a natural chemistry here. Both have a tremendous range, and Sandler—who started his career playing good natured buffoons in films like Billy Madison (1995) and Happy Gilmore (1996)—soon proved himself to be a very effective serious actor in films such as Punch-Drunk Love (2002), Reign Over Me (2007), and Uncut Gems (2019). Clooney went from TV heartthrob in ER to a bankable movie star. On paper, they should be mismatched, but on-screen, they match each other blow for blow. Jay and Ron both have flaws, but in Clooney’s and Sandler’s hands, they’re both sympathetic and likeable people we want to see succeed. The film resonates emotionally because of their portrayals even if neither character ultimately triumphs.
Anna The film looks at their relationship as much as Jay himself. Jay relies on Ron to make his wishes come to fruition, and Ron relies on Jay to afford his family a comfortable life. We watch as Jay replays key scenes of his life, and as Ron spends too much time missing key moments of his. It’s a bit of a poem, scoping life out from the big moments to the tiny—and the thing that really makes a life, all those forgotten moments in between. ∆
Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Split Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Dec 11-18, 2025.