By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 2 cats
Director: Noah Baumbach
Starring: Adam Sandler | Billy Crudup | George Clooney | Laura Dern | Patrick Wilson
Year: 2025
Running time: 130
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30446847/reference/
Diane says: “Noah Baumbach’s newest comedy will, I predict, be the audience fave at Telluride-by-the-Sea here in Portsmouth, NH. George Clooney plays Jay Kelly, a Hollywood star who is constantly surrounded by people, whose ego and drive compel him to always be off on a new project, and who has neglected those who should mean the most to him. His manager of 30 years, Adam Sandler (outshining Clooney here), has let his own desires be subsumed by Jay’s every need.
“Over the course of a trip to Italy, Jay revisits his life and has epiphanies about where he fell short in relationships. His manager is undergoing something of the same. The movie has a touch of Woody Allen-ish madcap and a touch of mystic. Some of the particulars are entertaining, but overall much is generic and unsurprising (contrast the specificity of “A Real Pain”). Soundtrack contributes to that flaw.
“One delight of this movie is the cast. Baumbach has squeezed so many good actors in: Greta Gerwig in a delightful small role, Laura Dern, Jim Broadbent, Billy Crudup, Patsy Ferran (one of my new faves), Alba Rohrwacher (LA CHIMERA), a naturalistic turn by Grace Edwards that gave me relief from the comedy and slapstick…. Too bad a little of George Clooney goes a long way.
“Oh, my goodness–I just realized that one scene imitates the infamous Biden-Clooney fundraiser interaction. Clever! I may continue to ponder the connection with Jay Gatsby (name, white suit, and Jay can’t get close to his daughter Daisy).
“A very personal 2 cats. As this is a Netflix title, I recommend waiting for the small screen.”