"Train Dreams" and "Jay Kelly"

More Netflix Oscar hopefuls today.

"Train Dreams" is the kind of contemplative, existential film that it's very difficult to do well.  Directed by Clint Bently, and based on a Denis Johnson novella, the story follows the life of a man in the late 1800s named Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton), who spends long stretches working on railway construction and logging sites in Idaho.  The work is dangerous, and forces Robert to spend too much time away from his wife, Gladys (Felicity Jones), and young daughter, but their options are few.  

Nearly all of "Train Dreams" is set in nature, specifically in the seemingly endless forests of the American Northwest.  However, the intrusion of the workers brings all the ugliness of westward expansion, industrialization and environmental degradation with them.  Robert has a front row seat to instances of brutal racism and exploitation that haunt him through the years, and his life is marked by too much tragedy.  His friendships are rare and fleeting, and he spends years trying to find a sense of connection with the rest of humanity.  Robert is a quiet man, who avoids trouble and keeps to himself, so many of the particulars of his life are relayed to the audience via narration provided by Will Patton.  

The pleasures of "Train Dreams" chiefly involve the skill of the filmmaking in evoking an older, bygone era of America that has largely receded from the current cultural consciousness. Adolpho Veloso's cinematography is intimate and lovely when it needs to be, and occasionally awe-inspiring as it explores the pristine landscapes.  Robert has meaningful encounters with memorable characters played by William H. Macy, Kerry Condon, Paul Schneider, John Diehl, and others.  However, as much as I admire and appreciate the commitment to this slower, more thoughtful approach to looking back at a chapter of American history, I rarely found it compelling.  Joel Edgerton is an actor who's been very hit-or-miss for me, and without a stronger narrative, the tale of his subdued everyman just couldn't hold my interest.  "Train Dreams" ends up being a lovely cinematic elegy that I wish that I liked more than I did.          

On to "Jay Kelly," the Noah Baumbach film where George Clooney is playing a fictionalized version of himself in the middle of a midlife crisis.  Jay Kelly is a famous movie star who starts behaving erratically after he has a bad encounter with an old friend (Billy Crudup), learns his mentor (Jim Broadbent) has died, and is caught off guard by his youngest daughter Daisy (Grace Edwards) decamping for Europe with friends before she goes to college.  Jay decides to accept a career tribute being offered in Italy that he previously turned down, so he can follow Daisy to Paris, with his longtime manager Ron (Adam Sandler) and publicist Liz (Laura Dern) in tow.  As the tribute draws nearer, Kelly's thoughts stray to regrets about his past and anxieties about his future, while Ron attempts to contain the crisis.  It's a very star-studded picture, with many familiar faces in the cast, playing figures from Jay Kelly's past and present.    

"Jay Kelly" strikes me as a film with some glaring fundamental flaws, and I suspect that it only got made because Clooney said yes to starring in it.  I mean, it's a fine idea to have a self-critical Baumbach film examining the cost of stardom, and highlighting all the little oddities of being extremely famous people, while trying to navigate travel in foreign countries.  However, the story choices and tonal shifts make the film constantly feel like it's floundering, the humor rarely works as intended, and Jay Kelly is surrounded by more interesting characters.  Clooney has the movie star wattage turned up high for the first time in a long time, but it's Adam Sandler and Billy Crudup who deliver the best performances, and have the juicier parts to play.  The plotting is also very messy - does the film only take place in Tuscany because Baumbach is trying to evoke Federico Fellini?   

Frankly, there's not much about "Jay Kelly" that worked for me.  I found it confusing, underdeveloped, and a waste of some very talented people's time.  This was a big swing for Baumbach, and I want him to keep aiming high, but too many of the choices here are wrongfooted, and I know Baumbach's capable of something much smarter and more thoughtful.  Better luck next time. 

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