Jay Kelly

Plot

Jay Kelly is an aging movie star in his mid 60’s, who is at a crossroads with his life; with both his work – and his children.

He travels to Italy to follow his daughter Daisy before she starts college and ‘leaves him’ . His long suffering manager Ron struggles to stay afloat with his aloof boss, and his own family, and must put them on hold to follow Jay – meanwhile trying to organise a tribute for him, which he is not overly keen on.

Direction

Directed by Noah Baumbach, he co wrote this with Emily Mortimer (who also has a very small role in the film). this is unlike his absurdist films that I’ve watched of his in the past. Instead it is a bittersweet film filled with character development.

There are some truly great moments that I for one loved, that include that long take in the opening moments of the film with a behind the scenes look at making a film. Late in the film there is a ‘phone conversation’ with Jessica and Jay in the forest. I also loved the parts where Jay walks through doors at times, and he ‘goes into his past’ to relive moments that were monumental for him, but hurtful to others.

Cast/Characters

George Clooney plays Jay Kelly. While other actors around him in his age bracket ‘may’ have worked for Jay Kelly, it is Clooney’s off screen persona in which he is the only one who can play him. He is humble, he is earnest. He just works for the role and is perfectly cast.

Adam Sandler, once again proves he is able to hold a dramatic performance. He is simply perfect playing the secondary character, not only on screen here, but in the life of Jay Kelly himself. He says himself at one stage to jay, that “we” are Jay Kelly to Jay.

Other cast members include; Laura Dern (as Liz Jay’s publicist), Billy Crudup (as Tim, a man from Jay’s past who makes revelations about how Jay became famous), Jim Broadbent ( as Peter, a recently deceased director who gave Jay his big break, and whose death is the catalyst for Jay’s crisis), Riley Keough and Grace Edwards as Jessica and Daisy – Jay’s daughters and Stacey Keach as Jay’s father.

Breakdown

A wonderfully poignant drama from the usually absurdist Baumbach, which is slightly meta in that an aging movie star is played by an (sorry George) aging movie star.

Early on Jay makes mention that he ‘feels lonely’ despite the fact that he is surrounded by people at all Times. This is due partly to that he may have stolen a life that was not meant for him from another person (Tim), and that to keep the life he inherited, he pushed aside those who should have been more important to him (his kids).

Early in the film, following the death of Jay’s mentor Peter, we meet Tim (who at first is openly friendly to Jay, but then reveals that he is bitter and resentful about how Jay stole a job from him – and a flashback reveals later on how this is indeed correct, and that Peter was instrumental in Jay’s career).

He is now at a crossroads, having lost touch with his oldest daughter Jessica, and about to lose his second – something in him snaps and he drops everything to keep hold of what he must let go of.

This sets in motion Ron’s own desertion of his family for Jay – and how late in the film – when Ron is at his wits end exclaimed to Jay that “they” are Jay Kelly, not just Jay.

There are some great instances of ‘friendship’ and how the relationships that some celebrities have with their entourage. Jay’s are constantly putting out fires in his life, without him acknowledge them – which causes people to leave him (Dern’s Liz quits his team later in the film after finally being unable to cope with his egotistical behaviour). Ron even loses another client, due to Jay’s constantly being so demanding of his time.

The latter part of the film, in which Jay discovers just how much he has hurt those around him; Tim whose life he stole, Liz and Ron who he has taken for granted, his daughters who he put second to his career, even his father (played by the always brilliant Stacey Keech) comes to his attention when he meets another actor (and another of Ron’s clients) who have an even lower opinion of their staff than Jay does.

The final few minutes, in which Jay looks back on his life, career (with some well edited actual footage of Clooney’s own career), followed by his request to go again is heartbreaking in its honesty, and how Jay has seemingly come 180 in his attitude to those around him.

Overall

What a lovely film to sit through.

The (mostly) meta view of George Clooney’s life and career, which culminates in the long awaited tribute at the end (that showcases Clooney’s actual career).

Stellar performances by Clooney and Sandler, that scored them Golden Globe nominations.

Some slight downs (more on Liz and Ron – or leave it out entirely!)

A very strong recommend!

4.5/5

Please check out my Podcast where we discuss this movie.