THE STORY – Beloved Hollywood star Reef Hawk must dive into the depths of his hidden demons after he is extorted with a mysterious video that’s sure to shatter his image and end his career. With the support of his lifelong besties Kyle and Xander, along with his crisis lawyer Ira, Reef embarks on a soul-searching journey to make amends with anyone he could have possibly wronged in hopes of identifying the blackmailer.
THE CAST – Keanu Reeves, Jonah Hill, Cameron Diaz & Matt Bomer
THE TEAM – Jonah Hill (Director/Co-writer) & Ezra Woods (Co-writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 80 Minutes
So, you’re a world-famous, beloved celebrity who just learned that a potentially damaging video might leak online. What’s one to do? One could go the route of Jonah Hill’s “Outcome,“ in which its charming and nice leading man, played by none other than the charming and nice Keanu Reeves, has to go on an apology tour to right the wrongs of his past. Seemingly inspired by films such as “Jay Kelly“ and “Crazy Heart,” Hill’s feature, which he also co-wrote with Ezra Woods and stars in, seeks to humanize actors and show them at their most flawed and vulnerable. However, “Outcome“ delivers this with clunky outcomes, often cutting tender scenes too short to make room for Hill’s obnoxious supporting character and poorly written material.
A star was born when Reef Hawk (Reeves) came onto the scene as a young crooner on “The Tonight Show“ with Johnny Carson. In the decades since then, he has amassed love from almost every corner of the industry: He’s been a part of three massive franchises, has earned two Academy Awards, and people just can’t get enough of him. But little does the world know that Reef is anything but perfect. He’s been out of the spotlight for five years to focus on his sobriety following a heroin overdose (a detail that is mostly brushed aside in the film), and he even lashes out at his two closest friends, Kyle (Cameron Diaz) and Xander (Matt Bomer), when they suggest he’s kind to people only to keep up appearances. We don’t normally see Reeves as a rough-around-the-edges kind of guy (unless you count all the people his John Wick character has killed) or one who is so self-absorbed, so “Outcome“ gives him something new to work with, even if he doesn’t stray too much from his stoic acting method.
The last thing Reef needs is to lose any love and support. Unfortunately, his crisis lawyer, Ira (an over-the-top, slimy Hill), calls with the news that someone is in possession of a video that could threaten it all. Not knowing who could be responsible, Ira encourages Reef to make amends with the people he’s wronged in his life, whether or not he actually feels bad about anything he’s done. It’s in these moments where Hill and Woods‘ screenplay drops the showbiz fluff and touches on something real. There’s his former manager, Red Rodriguez (a wonderful Martin Scorsese cameo), who didn’t know how to handle Reef’s growing celebrity and felt like he lost a family member when the star fired him. There’s tension when he meets with his mother (Susan Lucci). This reality television star agrees to hear Reef’s apology only if he films it for an episode of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.“ But the most emotional meeting comes when he talks with former flame Savannah (Welker White), the only person who is truly honest with him and tells him how much he used her during their relationship. Each conversation affects Reef and, in turn, Reeves’ performance. He’s able to do so much emotional work just by looking at them and taking in their words, and sometimes he doesn’t have to say anything at all for us to feel his heart breaking inside. These moments not only add to this character’s complexity but also delve into the dark side of fame and its costs. We’ve certainly seen plenty of films that have done this before, but that vulnerability is still appreciated here.
Unfortunately, Hill often cuts these scenes too short or doesn’t let Reef sit with his emotions for long before he gets another call from Ira about whatever wild thing he has to tell him. Hill’s performance is the personification of Hollywood sleaze – Ira calls Reef to check in on him while getting an IV drip in the middle of a couple’s counseling session, for example. It’s amusing at first, but his shtick gets tedious. But thankfully, there are some standout funny moments, such as Reef’s Gen Z assistant (a ridiculous Ivy Wolk from “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You“) comparing her experience with her parents’ divorce to Anne Frank’s story, and Kaia Gerber’s uninterested attitude toward Reef. In the midst of all the fun cameos, the screenplay either doesn’t dive into certain elements or fizzles out completely on subplots. Reef’s struggles with addiction are only glossed over, which does a disservice to understanding his past and his complex relationship with Kyle and Xander (Diaz and Bomer also don’t get much to do in the film). Not to mention, the whole video extortion plot becomes so minor and anticlimactic once the mastermind is revealed. Clocking in at just 80 minutes, the film needed some extra time to work out these kinks and deliver something more coherent. What really sticks out, however, is all the fake backgrounds in this film. Few people might notice, but the clearly CGI ocean waves and fake lighting are a bit distracting in certain scenes.
“Outcome“ has good intentions, aiming to show the real side of Hollywood, but odd choices muddle its results. It wants to have all these emotional moments and still be a funny take on Hollywood, but often one is frustratingly sacrificed for the other. It’s a shame considering all the comedy and showbiz experience Hill can bring to this project. Even if it doesn’t fully come together in the end, Reeves fans will be pleased to see the star take on an introspective character and deliver some moving work.
