'Jay Kelly' ★★★★
Cast: George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, Riley Keough, Grace Edwards, Stacy Keach, Jim Broadbent, Patick Wilson, Eve Hewson, Greta Gerwig, Emily Mortimer and Isla Fisher. Directed by Noah Baumbach; produced by David Heyman and Amy Pascal; screenplay by Baumbach and Mortimer. A Netflix Films release. 132 minutes. Rated R (language) Streaming on Netflix.
Jay Kelly is very good at being Jay Kelly -- that is, Jay Kelly the international film star who's been gracing audiences with his presence on the world's movie screens for 35 years. It's a role he can play in his sleep.
But the other Jay Kelly, the eager, insecure kid who left home and came to Hollywood to prove to his father he was something? That Jay Kelly is long gone, willingly wiped out through the assumption of many cinematic identities.
And he's not missed. He's too problematic and has too much baggage. Why bother being him when being the other Jay Kelly means constant adoration and having your every need and wish fulfilled? After all, isn't that the meaning of success?
The titular character gets a disturbing answer to that question in Noah Baumbach's brilliant, you guessed it, "Jay Kelly," an examination of identity as filtered through work, friends and family. At least, that's how we peons perceive who we are.
But Kelly, poignantly portrayed by George Clooney, has another filter that distorts his perception of himself, and that would be his legions of fans. Their idolization of him has created an illusion regarding who he is that Kelly, to his ultimate detriment, gave up fighting long ago.
Baumbach opens the film with a stunning tracking shot inside a massive studio set, his camera following Kelly and his entourage as he makes it to the spot where they'll be shooting the last scene of his latest film. Every isolated piece of set dressing, each random prop and the elaborate weather effects, when seen separately, mean nothing. But once the camera turns a corner, we see that when each of these things are combined, they create the sort of seductive illusion only the movies can offer us. Yet, the picture isn't complete until Kelly takes his place within this massive artifice. He too has become a prop, but without his presence, this construct means nothing.
This is an important starting point, as we come to notice that even when Kelly is away from the studio, the scenario is much the same. Though walking around in the real world, he's sheltered by his managers, Ron and Liz (Adam Sandler and Laura Dern), primped and pampered by his stylist, Candy (Emily Mortimer) and adored by the fans he encounters. There are no everyday worries for Kelly; no matter where he is, his cocoon of celebrity protects him.
However, two events cause him to step outside this comfortable prison. His youngest daughter, Daisy (Grace Edwards), informs him she is going on a trip with her friends across Europe. This stops Kelly short, as he thought they'd spend the summer together. Then, he meets a ghost, his former roommate, Timothy (a great Billy Crudup), who studied acting with him during their salad days. Seems Kelly accompanied his pal to an audition, just to observe, but ended up getting the part instead, a role that proved to be his launching pad to stardom. That Timothy is resentful is an understatement.
These incidents trigger long-suppressed memories in Kelly and prompt him to action. He impulsively decides to follow Grace to Paris and accompany her on the rest of her trip. Coincidentally, he's to be given a lifetime achievement award in Italy in a week's time, so his entourage accompanies him, none of them happy having to tend to this overgrown child.
The flashbacks, re-creations of key scenes in Kelly's life in which he stands as a silent observer, are the beating heart of the film. Among other things, we see his innocent betrayal at Timothy's audition, witness him squander a chance at true love and, most importantly, neglect his eldest daughter, Jessica (Riley Keough), as she desperately tries to connect with him. Each moment is delicately handled, Clooney supplementing each with deft expressions of anger, melancholy and regret.
Yet, Kelly isn't the only one suffering an identity crisis. Ron has devoted his life to him, much to his detriment. Constantly pulled away from his family at the slightest whim of his biggest client, he's become consumed by his role as Kelly's handler, a decision that ultimately has massive consequences for him both personally and professionally. Sandler has never been better than he is here, his lively eyes deadening as the film goes on, the actor subtly realizing the death of this man's sense of happiness and self.
The rest of the cast is great as well, including Patrick Wilson as Ben Alcock, Kelly's rival and Ron's other client, Stacy Keach as his resentful father, and Jim Broadbent as his first director and mentor. The entire ensemble is something directors dream of having at their disposal, and Baumbach provides a vehicle for each of them to shine -- and the film is all the better for it.
Of course, none of this would work without Clooney, who gives a surprisingly restrained, reflective and moving performance. He's never been as vulnerable or wounded as he is here, the actor allowing the artifice of his own image to slip away to reveal a man who barely exists. Clooney conveys that sense of emptiness with his ever-emotive eyes, their usual sparkle replaced by a waning light. This isn't a movie-star turn but a complex, subtle performance from a genuine actor.
On the surface, "Jay Kelly" seems like a film that would speak to a very small, exclusive audience. Yet we are all guilty of wearing selective masks from time to time, depending on the company or situation. The temptation to assume a guise that's more pleasing to others or gratifying to ourselves is always there. Baumbach and his cast powerfully remind us that, despite appearances, being yourself is always the best option, despite the complications that might result.