Clooney Venice premiere draws mixed reviews

Venice premiere of Jay Kelly draws praise for Clooney and Sandler while some critics call the film soft.

Critics divide on Clooney Netflix comedy Jay Kelly Venice

George Clooney stars in the Netflix comedy Jay Kelly, which had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on Thursday. The movie is directed by Noah Baumbach and written with Emily Mortimer. It follows a famous movie star named Jay Kelly and his longtime manager Ron as they travel through Europe, examining the choices they have made and the legacies they might leave. The cast includes Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, and Riley Keough. Early reviews from Deadline, Screen International, and Vulture praise Clooney and the film for its reflective mood, while The Guardian offers a harsher view.

Responses are mixed on tone. Some critics call the film measured and smart, while others find it soft or self indulgent. The debate reflects broader questions about prestige cinema on a streaming platform and how far a star persona should steer a film. Clooney missed a Venice press conference due to a sinus infection but attended the world premiere, signaling commitment to the project.

The film sits at the crossroads of cinema about cinema and celebrity self reflection. The meta premise invites comparisons to old school Hollywood, while Baumbach leans into sentimentality. The strong ensemble supports Clooney but some critics feel other characters are underwritten, which could undermine the ambition of the film.

On Netflix Jay Kelly will reach a wider audience, but streaming can flatten the risk of a prestige project. The polarized reception may become a talking point about how much self analysis viewers want from a star driven project. The conversation will continue as more outlets publish reviews and the film debuts on the platform. The film may gain ground or fade away depending on viewer patience with tone.

Highlights

The conversation around Jay Kelly will extend as audiences decide its place on Netflix