It is self-indulgent, this movie.
At the Venice Film Festival this week, George Clooney unveiled Jay Kelly, a film that strikes a nerve with actors and audiences alike by confronting the messy, unglamorous terrain of midlife crisis.
On the surface, the Netflix-backed drama has all the makings of a star vehicle, but beneath its crowd-pleasing veneer lies a raw exploration of emptiness, regret, and the uneasy trade-offs of fame.
The story follows Jay Kelly, a beloved movie star who abruptly walks away from a film set just days before shooting begins. His sudden retreat is triggered by a series of personal upheavals: the death of a close friend and a fraught reunion with an estranged college roommate, played with equal sharpness by Billy Crudup. Instead of preparing for another blockbuster, Kelly hops on a plane to Europe, determined to reconnect with his daughters and confront the fragility of his legacy, while stopping in Italy to collect a lifetime achievement award.
What could easily have become another glossy tale of celebrity excess is instead grounded by Clooney’s subtle, almost vulnerable performance. Far from the suave leading man audiences have come to expect, his Jay Kelly is weighed down by questions of identity and the haunting realization of years lost to career over family. He is loved everywhere he goes, fans present him with cheesecake slices like holy offerings, but beneath the adoration, he wrestles with the gap between his public image and his private dissatisfaction.
Director Noah Baumbach, known for his deft handling of interior conflicts in films like Marriage Story, describes the project as “a journey that was both physical and psychological.” Kelly’s wandering, often self-indulgent road trip becomes a meditation on identity itself, who we are, how we present ourselves, and how to make peace with the versions of ourselves that never came to life.
Supporting roles add unexpected depth. Laura Dern as Kelly’s weary publicist and Emily Mortimer as his stylist offer glimpses into the invisible labor of keeping a celebrity afloat, though both characters gradually peel away as his entourage tires of his self-absorption. Adam Sandler, however, stays until the end, playing Kelly’s loyal manager Ron in a performance that has already drawn praise for reminding audiences of his dramatic range.
The film’s reception in Venice has been polarized. The Telegraph hailed it as a “midlife crisis masterpiece,” with critic Robbie Collin praising its knockout final scene. The Independent applauded Clooney’s willingness to play a more vulnerable variation of himself, calling it his most raw and revealing performance yet. On the other hand, The Guardian dismissed the movie as “sentimental and self-indulgent,” proof that Jay Kelly may divide audiences as sharply as it resonates with them.
What cannot be ignored, however, is the film’s awards season potential. Hollywood has always had a soft spot for stories about itself, and Clooney’s layered portrayal of a fading star grappling with relevance could put him in the thick of the best actor race. With contenders like Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet, Daniel Day-Lewis, and even Dwayne Johnson all vying for recognition this year, Clooney’s performance may offer a more intimate counterpoint to grander roles.
Whether Jay Kelly is embraced as a profound meditation or dismissed as navel-gazing, its central theme is universal: the uneasy reckoning with choices, sacrifices, and the elusive quest for meaning at midlife. For Clooney, who has often been accused of coasting on charm, the film feels like a bold invitation to look beyond the cheesecake and the applause, into the heart of an actor and a man unsure of what remains when the spotlight fades.
