WELCOME TO THE TRAILER TRIALS.
WHERE WE JUDGE PREVIEWS WITH POPCORN-POWERED PRECISION.
We blazing with excitement or eye-rolling with boredom?
Jay Kelly, in theaters November 14
Quick Take: here’s a pile of points for the unexpected– Adam Sandler and George Clooney together. Could be magic, might be tragic.
BREAKDOWN
Story Hook: An aged but still debonair Hollywood screen actor embarks on a European tour to… stare at himself and say his own name a lot.
Visual Impact: With its old-Hollywood heartbeat, the Jay Kelly trailer offers a cool, introspective wave inward—serene yet magnetic—set against a sea of adoring fans pulling a fading star to keep shining outward.
Performance Promises: A cast of Gen X–influencing A-listers embraces their age with the irreverence their generation is known for, exploring what happens when celebrity rubs up against the inner man.
Pertinents: From Netflix, this is the trailer for an awards-season hopeful directed by Academy Award–nominated Noah Baumbach, from a screenplay co-written with veteran actor and first-time feature screenwriter Emily Mortimer. Jay Kelly stars the ever-trustworthy Adam Sandler and George Clooney as the titular character.
Verdict: Jay Kelly walks the tightrope between ego and existentialism with a knowing smile—and just enough restraint to make us lean in. The trailer hints at a rich reflection, sure, but Sandler playing Clooney’s emotional Sherpa? That’s a hard pill for this fan to swallow. Still, Mortimer’s grown-folks touch might be exactly what Baumbach’s been missing. Watching this one closely.
Trailers for more upcoming flix
Explore what’s next — hidden gems, docs, international picks and future obsessions you didn’t see coming.
DO NOT ENTER
Coming soon
LONDON CALLING
In theaters September 19
THE THREESOME
In theaters September 5