Cinema audiences are in for a treat as George Clooney and Adam Sandler unite for the first time in Jay Kelly, a new Netflix production being hailed as the best work from both stars in years. This unlikely pairing has resulted in a seamless and likable on-screen double act that defies their usual film categories.
A Star-Studded Production
Directed by Noah Baumbach and co-written by British actress Emily Mortimer, the film was developed with Clooney in mind for the lead role. He plays the titular Jay Kelly, a movie star grappling with a mid-career existential crisis. Following its premiere at the Venice Film Festival in August and a feature spot in the London Film Festival's 2025 line-up last month, one of Netflix's major awards season contenders has now arrived in select UK cinemas.
The story kicks into gear after the death of Jay's old director friend, played by Jim Broadbent, and a confrontation with a jealous former classmate, portrayed by a scene-stealing Billy Crudup. Jay decides to use a short break from filming to take an impromptu trip to Europe, ostensibly to be honoured at an Italian film festival. In reality, the actor and part-time dad is using the trip as a last-ditch effort to bond with his younger daughter, Grace Edwards, before she starts university.
An Impressive Ensemble Cast
Sandler takes on the role of Ron, Jay's dedicated long-time manager, who naturally ends up joining the European holiday. They are accompanied by Laura Dern as his publicist, Liz, and a whole extended Hollywood entourage. A significant portion of the film takes place on a long train journey, a narrative device that allows Baumbach to showcase the astounding ensemble cast he has assembled.
Clooney appears to be playing a version of himself, a move he has recently defended against critics. The film even utilises a sizzle reel made from some of Clooney's most memorable past performances. However, this should not detract from the nuance and range of his acting in this role. Sandler, collaborating with Baumbach for the second time after 2017's The Meyerowitz Stories, is on top form as the serious, committed Ron, a character worlds away from his comedic roots in films like Happy Gilmore 2.
A Charming, If Familiar, Narrative
While Jay Kelly doesn't break new ground in its exploration of Hollywood's inner workings or a star examining his past choices, it is deftly handled. The humour is gentle but constant, skilfully skewering the movie industry while maintaining a sense of fondness and nostalgia for the art form.
A standout scene features Billy Crudup's failed actor, Tim, reading a menu in method style at Jay's request. Crudup's bravura performance in this moment reportedly drew a spontaneous round of applause at its Venice preview screening.
In an era of blockbuster franchises, Jay Kelly feels rather charmingly old-fashioned. It is exactly the type of film that is becoming harder to make in modern Hollywood: an adult drama with a budget substantial enough to support its sprawling cast. Perhaps its success will convince studio executives that there is still a healthy appetite for properly crafted films of this kind.
Jay Kelly is in select UK cinemas from November 14, 2025, and will begin streaming exclusively on Netflix from December 5, 2025.
