The race for the 2026 Academy Awards is really heating up, especially in light of the Golden Globe nominations, which often serve as early indicators of how the Academy may vote. With One Battle After Another, Sentimental Value, and Sinners leading the charge with nine, eight, and seven nominations, respectively, all eyes are on this trio. However, several titles are perhaps about to fly under the radar until Oscars nomination day, where they might just sneak into a couple of categories.
One of these titles is the comedy-drama film Jay Kelly, and its bid for glory is certainly helped by its impressive early run on Netflix. At the time of writing, Jay Kelly is the third most-streamed movie on Netflix in the U.S., losing out only to the monster sequel Troll 2 and the first-placed My Secret Santa. Directed by Noah Baumbach, Jay Kelly stars George Clooney and Adam Sandler, with both earning Golden Globe nominations for their performances, the former for Best Actor and the latter for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical or Comedy. A synopsis for the movie reads:
“‘Jay Kelly,’ the new film from Academy Award nominee Noah Baumbach, follows famous movie actor Jay Kelly (George Clooney) and his devoted manager Ron (Adam Sandler) as they embark on a whirlwind and unexpectedly profound journey through Europe. Along the way, both men are forced to confront the choices they’ve made, the relationships with their loved ones, and the legacies they’ll leave behind.”
What Do Critics Think of ‘Jay Kelly’?
Given his previous work with Netflix, especially the masterful Marriage Story, Baumbach’s Jay Kelly was expected to be a near-perfect hit. Sadly, it seems the film has slightly underwhelmed critics, earning a respectable if not disappointing 76% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. The critics’ consensus on the site reads, “George Clooney riffs on his star persona with disarming vulnerability while Adam Sandler impressively expands his dramatic range in Jay Kelly, a Hollywood satire that’s gentler than one might expect from director Noah Baumbach.”
In his review for Collider, Ross Bonaime wrote that the movie is “trying to reach for the stars, and while it gets close, it can’t quite grasp what it’s going for.” Awarding the film a middling 6/10, Bonaime added, “Like the title character himself, Jay Kelly is a film that has good intentions, but doesn’t have the follow-through to make good on those promises.”
Jay Kelly is streaming now on Netflix. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for the latest updates.
Release Date
November 14, 2025
Runtime
132 minutes
Director
Noah Baumbach
