"Exhileratingly smart and tender."
— Joey Moser, The Contending
"Baumbach is making his Fellini film, and it’s a joy to watch."
— Dan Mecca, The Film Stage
"Jay Kelly is a clever crowd-pleaser, guaranteed to amuse and make you think."
— Kristy Puchko, Mashable
"Jay Kelly is Baumbach’s best film and, from an artistic standpoint, his first complete success."
— Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
"Jay Kelly is a funny and soulful gem from Noah Baumbach that may well break your heart, with George Clooney and Adam"
— Joey Magidson, Awards Radar
"There’s an uncanny and inebriating magic here that is heartfelt, reverent, and surprisingly approachable amid the A-list souls involved and revealed."
— Don Shanahan, Film Obsessive
"Baumbach shows us the brittle reality of stardom. It’s hardly a new premise, but he tells Jay’s story with such sincerity that it feels unexpectedly fresh."
— Maxwell Rabb, Chicago Reader
"A joy to see in theaters, Noah Baumbach's film pays homage to old Hollywood madcap comedies at the same time it delves deep with intense emotional moments."
— Julia Swift, My Champlain Valley
"A fictional inside-the-movie-world portrait that’s been made with a great deal of care and affection and entertaining dish, and it’s the definition of a movie that goes down easy."
— Owen Gleiberman, Variety
"Jay Kelly is a smart, funny, and emotional ride that deftly interrogates what it means to be a human and an artist in equal measure – and the unfair sacrifices required to be great."
— Lex Briscuso, IGN Movies
"This tenderness, so welcomingly earnest, precedes a climax that will grant those willing to do away with the temptation of cynicism a beautiful reminder of the magic of movie stars."
— Rafa Sales Ross, The Playlist
"Baumbach’s latest is more an emotional experience than a cerebral one, a warm and poignant comedy about a slow-rolling identity crisis in a man of nearly unimaginable wealth and fame."
— A.C. Koch, Spectrum Culture
"Co-written by Baumbach and Emily Mortimer 'Jay Kelly' offers two complementary depictions of men forced to reckon with where life has taken them as they approach the back half of middle age."
— Keith Phipps, The Reveal
"Writer-director Noah Baumbach’s funniest and finest movie in many years is perfection all the way through: the perfect casting choice, the perfect balance of comedy and pathos, the perfect wacky route to the perfect ending."
— Kyle Smith, Wall Street Journal
"Funny and heartbreaking in equal measure, 'Jay Kelly' shapes a unique identity by channeling European New Wave cinema combined with outstanding performances from George Clooney and Adam Sandler."
— Matt Goldberg, Commentary Track
"Beautifully written, directed and acted, this entertaining and astute exploration of ambition and regret is anchored in a remarkable relationship between characters played by George Clooney and Adam Sandler."
— Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
"Noah Baumbach’s latest is both wistful and relentlessly entertaining, taking shape not only as a career retrospective of George Clooney, the movie’s effortlessly charming leading man, but the very idea of leading men in American cinema"
— Siddhant Adlakha, Decider
"Expertly crafted and acted, Jay Kelly is a stunning character exploration of an actor who feels like he’s missed out on real life. Exploring moments past and present with tender writing and a phenomenal ensemble, Jay Kelly is a triumph."
— Rebecca Johnson, Talking Films
"A funny and moving Hollywood cautionary tale about the perils of losing work-life balance, about buying into the dream of becoming a star, and about how, when your career has ended, what’s left are the meaningful relationships you’ve made, if any."
— Brian Eggert, Deep Focus Review
