If there's one thing we're a sucker for here at Empire, it's movies. And if there's two, then it's movies about the movies, too. Babylon, The Fabelm
If there’s one thing we’re a sucker for here at Empire, it’s movies. And if there’s two, then it’s movies about the movies, too. Babylon, The Fabelmans, Hail, Caesar!, Stan & Ollie — you name it, we’re in. So as you can imagine, the prospect of George Clooney, Laura Dern, and Adam Sandler (now in sedate Sandman mode following this summer’s Happy Gilmore 2) leading a Noah Baumbach movie about an ageing movie star and his manager travelling through Europe, reckoning with their lives and legacy, has us very hyped indeed. And if the first trailer for Jay Kelly is anything to go by, then Baumbach’s Netflix bound, Emily Mortimer co-written drama is absolutely worth getting hyped for. Check it out below;
Well, we hope The Dolby Theatre has a Jay Kelly row booked out for next year’s Oscars, because that 100% looks to be where this one’s headed. Seriously, all the ingredients are there for an awards run ready prestige drama. A star leaning into and deconstructing their real-life movie star status on screen? Check. One of Hollywood’s most fêted auteurs taking a meta look at their industry and its machinations? Check. A veritable constellation of stars across the ensemble (Billy Crudup! Jim Broadbent! Eve Hewson! Riley Keough! Lenny Henry! Isla Fisher!), precise tonal positioning as a drama with laughs rather than a comedy drama, and the threat/promise of at least some impromptu dancing? Check, check, and check again!
Sure, Jay Kelly‘s first teaser may largely consist of Clooney’s titular ‘hero of cinema’ saying his own name in various spots around Europe as his manager (Sandler) and, presumably, publicist of some sort (Dern) chip in with microdoses of self-awareness, but there’s something about seeing Clooney’s star power at full wattage and everyone around him bringing their A-game that’s got us locked in already. Just who exactly is Jay Kelly though? That is the million-dollar question. And we’ll find out the answer when Jay Kelly hits selected cinemas on 14 November, and premieres globally on Netflix on 5 December. Lights, camera, existential crisis!
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