Review: Outcome

Directed by: Jonah Hill

Written by: Jonah Hill & Ezra Woods

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Jonah Hill, Matt Bomer, Cameron Diaz, Cary Christopher 

Rating: [1.5/5]

Due to popularity and notoriety, certain professions come with a certain level of fame and notoriety attached to them. We know which ones they are, but they come with the pressure of public perception carrying so much value. It makes individuals in these lines of work think twice about how they treat others given how it could impact their reputation, as we see the lead in Outcome struggle with. While this film carried some intriguing potential, unfortunately, it was letdown by the director in the way he inserted himself both in front and behind the camera. 

Hollywood star Reef Hawk (Keanu Reeves) has made a name for himself for being a great guy on top of his celebrity status. When anonymously threatened to be exposed for a video capturing a misdeed he cannot recall, he tries to assemble people around him to try and discover the contents of this damaging video and how to potentially get ahead of the entire ordeal. 

As with most films that receive the Hollywood greenlight, Outcome has plenty of promise in the message it seeks to convey to its audience. In an era of parasocial relationships between audiences and celebrities, the importance of maintaining a positive image typically correlates to the success of one’s career. With every phone carrying a camera and privacy at a premium, it makes sense why a celebrity would worry so much about anything that could harm their overall reputation. A good kernel of opportunity here, but Jonah Hill’s attempt at comedically taking this on completely fails. 

One can understand why Jonah Hill would have such an interest in making a film like Outcome given how long he has remained in the public eye, but the way he goes about framing this story leaves plenty to be desired. I cannot fault the casting here with Keanu Reeves as Reef Hawk. Reeves has lived in the public eye for decades and has the general reputation of being a great human being on top of his movie star acumen. He fits in perfectly with the idea of crafting an introspection within the psyche of a man like this and the general insecurities naturally bred from this current celebrity environment. The ingredients existed but the chef chosen to put it all together opted for an over-the-top comedic approach that did no favors to the material at hand. 

Hill’s approach to this tale treats this whole situation as a comedy, but the brand of humor utilized nearly has this mocking nature to it. We see this specifically with Hawk and his attorney, portrayed by Jonah Hill himself. The deployed humor through this lawyer character and the other various professionals brought in has this mocking tone to them that leaves a bad taste. For example, they bring on someone who specializes in how to handle the situation should the blackmail material involve anything remotely near sexual assault. All of this comes across as some joke, which may very well align with what Jonah Hill wanted to communicate on how individuals will come in to protect despite guilt, but the execution did not land that way. That ultimately summarizes my issues with this film, as its attempts at comedy detract from moments that could have much more meaning to them. 

Funnily enough, the scenes that worked the best did not include Hill, but rather the ones Reef shares with his former agent Red, surprisingly portrayed by Martin Scorsese. The back-and-forth conversation held between the two in this film displays the potential of what this story delivered as Reef looks back at his mistakes and how he did wrong to some individuals from his past. The central thesis of the film remains sound as displayed in this conversation, but unfortunately it gets drowned out by all of the nonsense and takes up much more of the runtime. 

Overall a very frustrating viewing experience, Outcome at its core has a good message it wants to communicate about the life of a celebrity in modern times but manages to fumble it every step of the way. Despite a strong cast and moments of greatness, Jonah Hill fails this film in his role as an actor and director, leading to the detriment of the entire production. An unfortunate instance, but at the very least I can appreciate Keanu Reeves playing a version of his real self that allows for some moments of resonance to shine through.