What will George Clooney’s new film really be about?

WEB DESK: Anyone who thought that at 64, George Clooney would slow down are in for a surprise because he isn’t doing so, but his latest project, Netflix’s Jay Kelly, has audiences wondering if the Hollywood icon is finally ready to look back.

Directed by Noah Baumbach, Jay Kelly follows an ageing actor who sets out on a soul-searching journey through Europe, haunted by regrets, lost relationships and the cost of fame. Clooney’s character, desperate to reconnect with his estranged daughters, brings along his manager (Adam Sandler) and press agent (Laura Dern), turning a work trip into an emotional reckoning.

So, is Jay Kelly just another midlife reflection, or a mirror held up to Clooney’s own life and legacy? The actor insists it’s not. “I’m not really ready to look backwards,” Clooney told AFP at the film’s Los Angeles premiere. “I sort of enjoy looking forward and seeing what’s coming next.”

Still, the parallels are hard to ignore. After decades in front of and behind the camera, Clooney’s new role seems to ask the question every ageing star must face: when does ambition give way to acceptance?

Jay Kelly releases on Netflix on December 5.