Jay Kelly, George Clooney, Adam Sandler and Laura Dern’s latest film is a comedy/drama about a famous movie star’s journey of self-discovery.
Directed and co-written by Noah Baumbach, Billy Crudup, Riley Keough, Emily Mortimer and Greta Gerwig are among the key cast.
Having heard that this movie was very well received at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, I hoped I’d be more enthused by this trailer than I am. I’ll certainly give it a chance because of my curiosity about the Clooney/Sandler dynamic.
How is it looking for you?
Stacy Keach, Louis Partridge, Patrick Wilson, Isla Fisher, Jamie Demetriou, Eve Hewson, Jim Broadbent and Thaddea Graham also star.
Jay Kelly Release Dates: November 14th, 2025 (US limited release); December 5th, 2025 (US & UK), Netflix…
Wolfs (2024), Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Sony Pictures Entertainment copy
I’d started and stopped watchingWolfsat least thrice prior over the last few weeks before finally committing. Perhaps the mood wasn’t right before. Either that or the dialogue, pace and story failed to keep me engaged enough to watch the whole thing.
Full disclosure, it took me first attempting to find almost anything else that’s not too emotionally taxing and starring actors I generally enjoy watching before giving up the search and surrendering to Wolfs.
George Clooney and Brad Pitt are usually fun to watch, especially together. Yet, writer/director Jon Watt’s crime/thriller about two fixers forced to team up doesn’t bring out their usual magic to its fullness.
My favourite character in Wolfs is courtesy of Austin Abrams, his physical performance and especially the dialogue when he ‘explains the day.’ For me, everything else outside of that is quite forgettable.
Have you watched or tried to watch Wolfs, and how was it for you?
For those who haven’t and are curious enough, as always, give it a try; maybe it’s just the pace and vibe you’re after.
Written/directed by Jon Watts; new thriller Wolfs has Brad Pitt and George Clooney as fixers assigned to the same job.
The usual Pitt/Clooney dynamic has me curious and this may just be the kind of silly I could enjoy. Especially if the story, humour, action and pacing are just right.
Is the Clooney/Pitt magic also working on you?
Amy Ryan, Austin Abrams, Rob Riddell, Hassani Rizzo, Irina Dubova and Poorna Jagannathan also star.
George Clooney’s latest acting/directorial effortThe Midnight Sky has scenes that will likely stay with you for quite some time. Scenes linked to the visual presentation and specific performance moments.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world where the earth has suffered a mysterious global catastrophe; Clooney’s character is Augustine, a lonely scientist on a race to stop an astronaut and her team from returning back to earth.
Before watching the movie, I encountered a review headline for The Midnight Sky that used the word ‘boring.’ Now, as any serious Clooney, Kyle Chandler, Felicity Jones and David Oyelowo fan would do, I had to find out for myself if I agreed.
Post viewing, I must say that even though the films tense and anxiety-inducing moments initially kept me engaged, there soon a came a time or two when I reached for my phone; partly due to the story editing and things happening at a slower pace than preferred. However, I was also trying to distract myself from emotional stress. That caused by the bleak realities of Augustine and the astronauts’ situations.
There’s even a specific scene where you know a tragedy is happening any moment now. And you’re not sure you want to hang around to see it unfold; partly because you’re mad that you were able to guess what was coming next. But you’re also displeased because you’re not a big fan of the continued depressing mood of the story and you want some normalcy again.
Curiosity about the ending, the acting, plus visual moments that impressed are what kept me watching The Midnight Sky. Generally, everyone performs well. Two specific highlights being the closeup of David Oyelowo’s character’s profile as he digests the meaning of a very unsettling bit of news. And the second is every time the camera was on young Caoilinn Springall who plays Iris.
The most visually impressive moments include the colour-rich scene at the beginning that features Jupiter. Another at a later stage involves the removal of a helmet.
Give The Midnight Sky a chance if you’re curious. The premise is certainly intriguing. It’s just unfortunate that I’m convinced there’s a more engaging story, with better character development and maybe even a less moody/depressing creative execution I could have enjoyed more.
Directed by and starring George Clooney; The Midnight Sky is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi/drama about Augustine, a lonely scientist in the Arctic.
Augustine is on a race to stop Sully and her fellow astronauts from returning home to a mysterious global catastrophe.
Additional key cast includes Felicity Jones, Kyle Chandler, David Oyelowo and Sophie Rundle.
The music suggests an emotional film but the way Oyelowo asks: ‘Why is it so quiet?’ got me right in heart, and a little in the tear ducts.
I’ve actually been looking forward to a new Clooney movie for a while and the premise of this one is very interesting. Lastly, how disturbing is what happens at 1:38 in this trailer?
Ethan Peck, Miriam Shor, Demián Bichir, Tim Russ, Tiffany Boone, Edan Hayhurst, Lilja Nótt Þórarinsdóttir, Atli Oskar Fjalarsson, Tia Bannonn and Grant Crookes also star.
The Movie My Life 