Marriage Story cemented Noah Baumbach as a filmmaker that will have my attention no matter what he makes. Throw in a script co-written by Emily Mortimer with George Clooney in the leading role as a famous actor at a crossroads in his career and you've got the makings of something very much up my alley. While this morning's Golden Globe nominations didn't show Jay Kelly as much love as it may have deserved, I'm still happy to say this is a pretty great movie.
Clooney stars as the titular Jay Kelly, a world famous actor who has just finished his latest movie. With a two week break before his next he throws everyone for a loop when he decides to back out and follow his daughter to Europe as he looks back at his career and legacy. Along for the ride is his longtime agent Ron (Adam Sandler), who begins to question his relationship with Jay as he is constantly pulled away from his family at the behest of his friend/employer.
As is typical for a Baumbach film, this is a pretty terrific acting ensemble. The argument can be made that Clooney is just playing himself, but I think tackling a role so close to your reality is a pretty vulnerable choice and I thought his performance here was pretty great. He balances his charming movie star persona with his clear faults brilliantly to deliver a character that's just as easy to love as he is to critique, and that makes his journey of self discovery all the more interesting. Sandler is also great, doing some of his best work since Uncut Gems in a role that honestly just feels sad at times as he realizes that he might not be to Jay what Jay is to him. Laura Dern plays a similar role to Sandler's as Jay's publicist but brings a bit sharper of an edge to this dynamic, offering a great counter to Sandler. Billy Crudup is another highlight as a former classmate of Jay's, putting on a front of someone who has found joy in life despite not making it big, but clearly holding a searing sense of resentment for his old friend. The cast list just goes on but the other big standout for me was Riley Keough as Jay's somewhat estranged daughter, acting as one of the biggest regrets Jay is faced with as he looks back at his life.
I assumed going in that the acting and screenplay would be great, but I wasn't prepared for how strong the production here is. Not that Baumbach is a slouch by any means, but he brings some fascinating visual ideas here that make Jay's journey feel almost epic in scope. Marriage Story and his other films all look good, but this is a true feast for the eyes at times thanks to some terrific lighting and those clever visual moments. We also get a gorgeous Nicholas Brittel score to add to the whimsy of it all.
My only real negative with the film is that the pacing is a bit inconsistent. I think a bit could have been trimmed down as the runtime is well over two hours and the middle act tends to drag a bit. The opening is fantastic though and the final act had me completely hooked. I'm honestly a bit surprised the reception to this hasn't been better, I was deeply impressed by this one. 4/5
Comments
Post a Comment