Jay Kelly

Plot Summary

• After completing his latest film, actor Jay Kelly (George Clooney) attempts to spend time with his daughter Daisy (Grace Edwards) before she leaves for Europe and begins college. She declines, preferring to travel with friends to attend a Jazz festival in Paris. Daisy says that she and her friends are travelling by train (no first class), and sleeping in tents, none of which Jay is comfortable doing.Jay learns from his longtime manager, Ron Sukenick (Adam Sandler), that Peter Schneider (Jim Broadbent), the director who launched Jay's career, has died.Jay is a perfectionist and continues to pursue a scene till he believes that he cannot do it any better. Candy (Emily Mortimer) is Jay's hairstylist and is always with him on set. Tuscan Arts Festival wants to do a tribute on Jay, which he refuses and shuts the door on Ron when he continues to persist.Months earlier, Schneider had asked Jay to attach his name to a new project to secure financing, which Jay refused. Schneider said that he needed the money, and Jay agreed to give him the money, but would not consent to lend his name to the project that would allow Schneider to shoot 2 back-to-back films.After the funeral, Jay meets Tim (Billy Crudup), his former acting-school roommate, and the two go for drinks where they reminisce about their lives. Tim does an impromptu demonstration of method acting, when prodded by Jay, and shows how good an actor he is. The conversation turns hostile when Tim accuses Jay of stealing the part that made him famous. Tim says that Jay stole his job and his girlfriend when he was 23 years old. Peter Schnieder had invited Tom for the audition and Jay was just tagging along, and Jay ended up stealing the part from Tim. Tim says that he is friends with Jay's elder daughter Jessica and that she agrees with Tim. The two have a fistfight in the parking lot, leaving Jay injured.The next morning, Liz (Jay's publicist) interrupts Ron when he was playing tennis with his daughter Vivienne (Sadie Sandler and his wife Lois (Greta Gerwig). Liz tells Ron that its really bad and make him to abandon his tennis game.Jay exits his upcoming film and abruptly books a trip to Europe to follow Daisy. Ron warns that abandoning the project will damage his career, but Jay ties the trip to a ceremony in Tuscany for a career-tribute award that he had previously declined.Using a friend's credit card activity, Jay's assistant Meg (Thaddea Graham) locates Daisy's group. On the flight, Jay remembers about Larry (Lenny Henry), Jay's acting coach from his youth. Larry taught Jay that once he is a star, he would have to act twice, once as an actor and the other time when he is himself. Jay remembers that Tim was in the same class and that Jay went with him to Schneider's audition as Tim was feeling nervous. Jay went with Tim to the audition room to read with him, when Tim requested him. Tim was very nervous and was rejected. Jay asked if he could audition too, even though he was not on the appointment sheet. Peter allowed it. Jay used an improvisation to the script that Tim suggested, but he was too scared to try it himself. Peter liked the improvisation and asked Jay to stay.When Jay and his team arrive in Paris, Daisy boards a train, and they follow. Onboard, Jay interacts with passengers who recognize him, while Ron and Jay's publicist Liz (Laura Dern) receive word that Tim is suing him for assault and seeking compensation of $100 million. Ron suggests that Jay should invite his father to the tribute ceremony. Ron and Liz discuss their long history managing Jay's crises and the personal costs of remaining in his orbit. Ron and Liz used to be in a relationship when Liz abandoned Ron on top of the Eiffel Tower 19 years ago.Liz later quits and departs the train as she tells Ron that she does not want to take care of a 60-year-old Jay, who keeps acting out. She also adds that while she and Ron invite Jay to all their family events, but Jay never reciprocates. Their relationship has always been one-sided. Ron disagrees and remains with Jay.While on the train, Jay flashes back to moments from his past, including his strained relationship with his older daughter Jessica (Riley Keough), whose mother Jay cheated on with his co-star Daphne (Eve Hewson) on one of his earliest films. Jessica runs a children's day care center and doesn't take any monetary help from Jay. She takes Jey to a session with her therapist. Jay leaves in the middle when Jessica asks the therapist to read a letter she wrote to Jay. Jay eventually finds Daisy in the dining car and invites her to his tribute, but she chooses to remain with her friends. Daisy wants to pursue a career in acting, but Jay actively discourages her, which makes her livid.When a cyclist on the train steals a passenger's handbag, Jay chases after him and retrieves it, generating viral attention that casts him as a hero. Ron proposes inviting Jay's estranged father Mr Kelly (Stacy Keach) to join them in Tuscany, and Jay agrees in hopes of repairing their relationship. Upon arrival, the viral clip boosts Jay's visibility.While Jay dines with his father and friends, Ron departs to meet another client, Ben Alcock (Patrick Wilson), who was set to receive the tribute after Jay's initial refusal, only to now have to share it. Ben reluctantly tells Ron he is firing him, in part due to Ron's preoccupation with Jay.At a party the night before the ceremony, Ron reports that Tim dropped the lawsuit after lawyers uncovered an old drug charge in Tim's past. He and Jay argue how much Jay takes Ron for granted. Ron says that he worked hard to get him the part for his next movie that Jay is now refusing to do. Ron begs him to report for work, but Jay is steadfast. Ron believes that he is Jay's friend, But Jay says that Ron is a friend who takes 15% of his income.Jay's father experiences dizziness at the party and chooses to return to Maine. Jay urges him to stay but fails to stop the departing taxi. Jay runs into Ben and his family. Ben's whole family had come to see him get the tribute, contrasting with Jay who had nobody. Jay gives them most of his guest tickets to the tribute, then wanders into the nearby woods. He calls Jessica asking her to visit, but she refuses. Jay apologizes for prioritizing his career over his children, while Jessica says she has made peace with not having him in her life.The next morning, Jay returns to the villa and sees Ron departing by taxi. He runs after him, and Ron says he can no longer work for him. Jay asks Ron to attend the tribute as a friend and says he shares his professional success with him. At the tribute, the two tearfully watch a reel of Jay's performances, ending with footage of Jessica and Daisy as children. As the audience stands in applause, an emotional Jay looks to the camera and asks, "Can I go again? I would like another one."

Storyline

• Famous movie actor Jay Kelly embarks on a journey of self-discovery, confronting his past and present with his devoted manager Ron. Poignant and humor-filled, pitched at the intersection of regrets and glories.