When you get to the end of the road, it makes sense to reflect on where you’ve been. For Jay Kelly (George Clooney), his memories are all tied to a career for which he sacrificed everything. But he can’t help but wonder if it was worth it as the end nears.

This new film from writer/director Noah Baubach, Jay Kelly, is a pensive exploration. It drops on Netflix on Friday, and it figures to be a contender for the major year-end awards. It’s about a man starring at the end and wondering if it was worth it.

We begin as Jay Kelly is wrapping up his latest film. He’s on a chaotic set. But he’s the master of bringing everything together to get that near-perfect shot. As the director wraps, it’s the end of his film and the beginning of a lot of questions. Jay Kelly has another film on deck shortly, but he’s feeling a little listless.

His agent, Ron (Adam Sandler), tries to be the voice of reason guiding Jay toward the future. But where Ron is driven and sees the plan, Jay Kelly has begun to question everything. When his mentor, and one of his first directors (Jim Broadbent), it throws him into more of a quandary, especially as he listens to his friend’s son talk about a life that prioritized his career over everything.

That is further complicated when Jay runs across an old friend (Billy Crudup). Their difficult reconnection opens painful wounds and causes Jay to take stock of his life in a new way. All of it begins to shift his focus and perspective.

Despite mounting pressure to begin his new film, Jay decides to try and connect with his daughters (Riley Keough and Grace Edwards). That leads him to take an impromptu trip to Europe to connect in person with his youngest (Edwards), much to the chagrin of Ron, who wants to keep the Jay Kelly business on the tracks.

This is an interesting film that provides an intriguing journey. It’s also interesting to see this film come out the same year as Sentimental Value, which approaches some similar subject matter. But this one, rather than being focused on the kids as much as the parent, is squarely focused on Jay Kelly. He begins to reflect on his life and career, but also sees that the way he did it might not have been the only way to do it.

This film has an excellent supporting cast, including Patrick Wilson, Stacy Keach, Emily Mortimer, and Laura Dern. But, mostly, it’s about Jay and his agent and friend, Ron. We see their parallel journeys and the ways they mirror and oppose one another. That leads to them coming together in a fascinating way in the third act.

I enjoyed the flashback and the journey that Jay goes on in the film. Clooney is a gifted actor who can convey so much with his expressions and his mannerisms. He plies that well here. Some of his best work has been in these quieter, more introspective films. This isn’t my favorite of his performances all time, but it’s close. Particularly in the final sequence, which is beautiful and puts a great cap on this journey.

Baumbach has delivered some interesting and powerful films for Netflix over the past decade. This is one of his best. It’s a beautiful and thoughtful journey that is well worth seeking out. It should be a player for Netflix this awards season.

Jay Kelly streams on Netflix Friday, December 5.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.