We’re Officially in the Adam Sandler Renaissance. Jay Kelly Review
We’re officially in Sandler’s late career comeback or what we like to call, Sandler’s Renaissance Period. Even after the slight disappointment of Spaceman, we were still pumped for another Sandler drama with Jay Kelly on Netflix. Director Noah Baumbach reunites with Sandler for the second time (The Meyerowitz Stories being the first), and George Clooney shows up ready to prove himself. It’s the perfect storm for “true cinema” . It’s not flawless, but Sandler gives us a fantastic performance.
In our latest Adam Sandler Please Stop Podcast episodes, we break down why Jay Kelly feels like a perfect continuation of Sandler’s dramatic hot streak and why Baumbach remains one of the best directors at letting actors actually act. The movie follows Clooney’s aging movie star as he drifts through Europe with Sandler’s longtime manager character, reflecting on fame, regret, friendship, and the quiet panic of realizing time is undefeated. It’s funny, melancholy, and way more emotionally honest than you might expect from a movie starring the worst Batman and Canteen Boy.
And let’s talk about George Clooney, because… wow. We make the case in the episode that this might be his best performance in years. No charming smirk autopilot. No coasting. Just a thoughtful, restrained, occasionally brutal portrayal of a man reckoning with who he is when the spotlight dims. Sandler, meanwhile, continues to be quietly great in these supporting dramatic roles being grounded, funny, and devastating in small moments, which Baumbach knows exactly how to frame.
The episode isn’t just praise, though. We dig into what Baumbach does stylistically and how Jay Kelly fits into Sandler’s post-Uncut Gems era too. It’s the kind of conversation that made us glad we’ve been doing this podcast long enough to appreciate when Sandler actually gives us something to chew on. Do we need to change the name of the podcast now?
If you’ve seen Jay Kelly, you’ll want to hear us unpack it. If you haven’t, the episode will tell you why it’s worth your time, but there are spoilers after the first 30 minutes. Either way, hit play on the newest episode of Adam Sandler Please Stop and join us as we celebrate a movie we were rooting for long before the opening credits rolled.
🟣 Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adam-sandler-please-stop/id1207872674
🟢 Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/0KubjOkbr1ePnRNU9DdXio
🟡 Spreaker
https://www.spreaker.com/show/2896668
🔵 Google Podcasts
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zcHJlYWtlci5jb20vZmVlZC9hZGFtZC1zYW5kbGVyLXBsZWFzZS1zdG9wLTM0MDE4MzQ0LnJzcw
🔴 iHeartRadio
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/966-adam-sandler-please-stop-29197388/
