‘Outcome’ is a Disappointingly Disjointed Comedy from Jonah Hill
Jonah Hill is long-established in the world of comedy for his acting roles, starring in films such as Superbad (2007) and 21 Jump Street (2012). In 2018, Hill showcased his directorial chops in a coming-of-age drama, Mid90s. With Outcome, he returns to comedy, directing and co-writing a black comedy starring Keanu Reeves. Unfortunately, Outcome is largely unsuccessful in its drama and comedy, with underdeveloped characters, tone-deaf jokes, and confusing stylistic choices.
Outcome follows a beloved aging actor, Reef Hawk (Reeves), who recently overcame a secret drug addiction and is returning to the public eye after getting sober. Reef is contacted by his crisis lawyer, Ira Slitz (Hill), about a video that someone is planning to extort Reef with. Reef is then coached by his friends Kyle (Cameron Diaz) and Xander (Matt Bomer) as he goes on an apology tour, trying to find out who might be extorting him. The film quickly becomes a cycle of Reef meeting with someone to be told a different way he had neglected their relationship. In between these meetings, Reef meets with caricatures of crisis lawyers to try to figure out how to solve the extortion problem.
