The 'Jay Kelly' Trailer Just Dropped — And People (Not Just Me) Are Feeling It
A quiet road movie with ego, regret — and Sandler.
Seeing George Clooney and Adam Sandler share the screen was enough to catch my attention. I wasn’t sure what kind of tone Baumbach would go for this time — but the Jay Kelly trailer turned out to be more restrained and thoughtful than expected.
Clooney plays Jay Kelly, an ageing movie star travelling to a European film festival to receive a lifetime achievement award. What begins as a celebration slowly turns into a more personal journey.
He’s joined by his long-time manager, played by Sandler. Together, they drift through Europe, reflecting on their past and unresolved tensions. It’s not loud drama — more like quiet discomfort with a touch of humour.
The film premieres at Venice, Telluride and NYFF. Netflix is clearly positioning it as an awards-season title.
Baumbach co-wrote the film with Emily Mortimer, who also appears in the cast. The ensemble includes Laura Dern, Greta Gerwig, Riley Keough, Jim Broadbent and others.
Curious about early reactions, I looked at Reddit.
"It’s time to give the Sandman his Oscar," wrote mikeyfreshh.
"Clooney’s ‘Birdman’ moment perhaps?" called it FaerieStorie.
"An ensemble cast with a theme about how hard it is to be a celebrity," summed it up Dominicwriter.
There’s a line in the trailer that stood out to me — Clooney saying, "You know how difficult it is to be yourself." It feels unscripted, even if it isn’t. Also, Sandler plays it straight, and the balance between them works. It’s a pairing I didn’t expect, but now I want to see where it goes.
Jay Kelly hits cinemas 14 November and lands on Netflix 5 December. Awards talk or not, it looks like something quieter — and maybe more honest.
