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Outcome


1.5 stars out of 4




This is one of those movies where you look at the cast, look at the premise, and think it’s going to be a good movie.


It's not. It’s really, really not.

Some have speculated that it’s Jonah Hill’s attempt at making sense of his own cancelation after his controlling and abusive behaviour towards his girlfriend a few years’ back. He did seem like a complete asshole, and I must acknowledge, he remains “cancelled” in my mind, as he seems like a vey unlikable human being. He became famous for being an overweight funny guy, but seemed to lash out at reporters every time they asked him about this. Then he went on Ozempic and lost 100 pounds, but he still was nothing like a handsome leading man. His character here is neither funny or interesting, and actually downright bizarre.

But enough about him, it’s also interesting to see Keanu Reeves in this kind of role. While watching this, I wondered what made him sign on for a movie like this. He’s one of those strange actors who seems to make both excellent and horrible movies. His “public” character here seems to be a lot like the real Keanu Reeves. Almost universally thought of as a good person and a rare nice guy in a sea of sex-pests and Hollywood vipers. But this version of him has a dark side as well, full of narcissism, impression management, and even a Heroin problem.

When we come to learn what his “crime” was here, it all seems a little sad. He basically did what a million other lonely guys do every night. Chat with an online girl who was something like an Only Fans girl would be today. No one really cares.

It's kind of hard to think about what this movie was trying to say. Hill’s character is so wildly over the top, it’s clear at least some of this is a satire of Hollywood itself, (Drew Barrymore even pops in and gives us a little laugh at her own expense.) Martin Scorsese is one of the small bright spots in this movie who accepts Reef’s apology on his redemption tour. The movie is about loneliness in some way. How can you connect with other people in a world where virtually every interaction is transactional? Even Reef’s two (and only two) actual friends let him know he’s been a pretty horrible friend.

Maybe in the end he’s become a better person because he’s been blackmailed. It’s forced him to confront his true self and be honest. There’s something there.

But you just can’t help but think there was a much better movie in there somewhere. Hill leaving himself on the cutting room floor would have been a start. 

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