Details from IMDB:
Jay Kelly
Famous movie actor Jay Kelly embarks on a journey of self-discovery, confronting his past and present with his devoted manager, Ron. Poignant and humour-filled, pitched at the intersection of regrets and glories.
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- Stars
Initial Thoughts:
George Cluney is an amazing actor. I have always enjoyed watching him, and he also seems to be a really nice person. I’ve also enjoyed watching Adam Sandler for a long time, and I really enjoy it when he gets to do something other than slapstick comedy (as he’s also quite a good actor), so when the two of them finally got put together in a movie, I knew I would watch it, and last night we finally did.
Main Points:
I can see why this movie will win awards (more, I mean, it’s already won some). George is excellent, so is Adam Sandler, and it’s a movie about what the film business can do to a person and all those in his or her life. It’s a movie about looking back on your life, the choices you made, the regrets you have and ultimately, what is the meaning of a career (in this case, an actor), what would you be willing to sacrifice to make it to the top? There were parts of the movie I liked, the way he walks into memories like scenes of a movie (as he did so many of them, it was a major part of his life) and then tries to reconcile them with his present. He knows he screwed up his relationship with his eldest daughter and tries to fix it, but it’s just too late. He does the same with his younger, and while it may not be too late, he’ll never achieve the closeness he wants. He comes to realize that the only person who will stay with him for a tribute in Italy is his manager, Ron, played by Adam Sandler, and even then, it takes some heartfelt convincing.
I did, however, have a couple of major issues with this movie. It has that really annoying trait where a bunch of people are talking about different things at the same time, and therefore, it makes it hard to know what anyone is saying. I know that this happens during the movie-making business, but it’s overused here and detracts from the film. The other major issue is that the movie is too long and gets really slow, especially when Jay Kelly wanders off by himself. I think 20-30 minutes could have easily been cut. The scenery in Italy and France is gorgeous, and the acting by everyone is good all around, plus the characters are all realistic, and I think show what it would be like if George Cluney suddenly got on a train with the general public.
Final Thoughts:
Even though Jay Kelly is (usually) surrounded by people, his entourage, if you will, he says he is always alone, and that is very much true. The film is what could happen to a movie star if he or she devoted their life to success, so much so that most people in his life were either left behind, felt scorned by his actions or were only around him because it was their job. I felt for Kelly at the end, he wonders if all of his career was for nothing, and he looks to the camera and says, “Can I do it again?” Life isn’t like that; we don’t get a second take, only one chance to get it right. I enjoyed this movie, mostly for George Cluney and Adam Sandler, with the reservations stated and gave it 7.5 out of 10. If you want a movie to make you think about life, memories, the choices we make, and the consequences of our actions, then give it a watch. There is some humour to lighten the mood, and it is nice to see George Cluney show how good an actor he is. Not for kids, lots of coarse language and some violence, ages 17+.