Outcome

Directed by Jonah Hill, Outcome follows a famous movie star (Keanu Reeves’ Reef Hawk) as he’s forced to go on an apology tour after he’s extorted with a mysterious (and potentially damning) video clip. It’s promising subject matter that’s employed to erratic yet mostly entertaining effect by Hill, as the filmmaker, armed with his and Ezra Woods’ screenplay, delivers a briskly-paced comedy that benefits from its raft of engaging, appealing performances – with Reeves’ predictably compelling turn as the sympathetic lead matched by such eclectic periphery players as Cameron Diaz, Matt Bomer, and Martin Scorsese. (The latter’s shockingly strong work as a washed-up agent for young actors remains an ongoing highlight within the proceedings, to be sure.) And while the picture is occasionally just a little too broad for its own good, with this particularly true of Hill’s less-than-subtle turn as Reef’s larger-than-life lawyer, Outcome‘s easygoing atmosphere, coupled with its recurring emphasis on appealing attributes (eg Reef’s agreeable longtime friendship with Diaz’s Kyle and Bomer’s Xander), generally ensures it remains quite watchable for the duration of its appropriately (and appreciatively) brisk running time.

*** out of ****