Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly scores 82% on Rotten Tomatoes ahead of release

Noah Baumbach's upcoming film, Jay Kelly, lands an impressive score of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes. On 28th August 2025, the comedy-drama film was showcased at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival.

After a limited theatrical release on 14th November, the film is set to make its worldwide release on Netflix on 5th December 2025.

With a star-studded cast that includes George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, and many others, the film follows the journey of a movie star and his manager, as it explores their life experiences in relation to both their professional and personal lives.

Its synopsis goes as:

"Jay Kelly follows famous movie actor Jay Kelly and his devoted manager Ron 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."

Let us know more about the film as well as its Rotten Tomatoes score.

Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly lands a brilliant Rotten Tomatoes score

Noah Baumbach's forthcoming film Jay Kelly lands a brilliant score of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes, well ahead of its release. The film had initially debuted with an 83% score, but at present, the score stands at 82%.

The score is representative of the fact that the film has been immensely liked by critics. Praise for its writing, performances, and direction has poured in. A reviewer from Little White Lies, Hannah Strong, lauds the casting of the film, as the comment goes:

"So much of the film leans on the dramatic heft that Clooney, Sandler and the spirited supporting cast are able to bring to the table. It’s a testament to the smartness of this casting that Jay Kelly works as well as it does."

Another critic for TIME Magazine, named Stephanie Zacharek, writes:

"There’s nothing overtly dislikable about the film, and there are a handful of scenes that are beautifully written, acted, and directed. But Jay Kelly feels more sentimental than truly thoughtful."

At present, the Rotten Tomatoes score is purely based on its Tomatometer rating. As soon as the film completes its theatrical and streaming release, the Popcorn Meter rating will be marked as well, upon which the ultimate Rotten Tomatoes score shall be surmised. But looking at the current numbers, we can be hopeful of an optimistic response from the audience as well.

Noah Baumbach's work has been nominated at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, as well as the Academy’s. His writing works include films such as The Squid and the Whale (2005), Greenberg (2010), Mistress America (2015), Marriage Story (2019), White Noise (2022), Barbie (co-penned with Greta Gerwig, 2023), to name a few.

For Barbie, he even won a Critics' Choice Award for Best Original Screenplay. Except for this film, all the rest of the films mentioned are directed by Baumbach. So, going by his rich filmography and the good Rotten Tomatoes score, we can certainly expect his upcoming film, Jay Kelly, to be promising.