Who better to star in a meta-fiction film about the perils of fame than A-list movie star George Clooney?
In a way, the charismatic Clooney is the perfect actor to lead Noah Baumbach’s “Jay Kelly,” a sentimental drama about an aging screen star who embarks on a sweeping European expedition to solve his personality crisis. In the film, the charming titular character, like the man who portrays him, has reached the highest heights in his industry, but he’s feeling rather low about the fact that the only thing he has to show of his accomplished life is a bountiful filmography that’s made him beloved around the world (“All my memories are movies,” he says).
The same can’t be said about Jay’s personal life, though. He’s distant from his two grown daughters, Jessica (Riley Keough) and Daisy (Grace Edwards), after prioritizing work for so many years, and his closest friends are those on his payroll — including his longtime manager, Ron (Adam Sandler), and publicist, Liz (Laura Dern). The exception is Jay’s mentor, Peter Schneider (Jim Broadbent), whose funeral brings an old friend back into his life: his former acting bud, Timothy (played by a very good Billy Crudup), who still holds a grudge over Jay seemingly stealing his big break and a life of stardom.
