“Outcome” follows Reef Hawk, a beloved Hollywood star who must face his demons after being extorted with a mysterious video that is sure to shatter his image and end his career.
Star Power Overload
To no real fault of its own, “Outcome” can’t help but feel like a cameo-fest early on. With each passing moment, it seems like the film is showing off a “shiny new object.” Look, the movie stars Keanu Reeves. Oh, and there’s Cameron Diaz! In comes Jonah Hill. Then Martin Scorsese. Then David Spade.
I think you get it… the list actually keeps going.
Because of this, the first act of “Outcome” proves challenging to get through. There’s minimal setup, and really minimal story altogether. For a movie with an 83-minute runtime, this is a problem. Substance only really begins to develop after the midway point, leaving the entire first half of the film feeling somewhat pointless.
There’s also an aspect of unrelatability that comes with seeing so much star power. Tied to a story about soul-searching, “Outcome” lacks the everyday-life vibe that is needed to resonate. There’s only so many times that you can see a celebrity feeling sorry for themselves before it grows redundant.
Charisma Carrying the Chaos
At the same time, it’s all part of the fun. Viewers seeking “Outcome” will likely be aware of this fact — and it’s undoubtedly entertaining seeing star after star show up. You can also tell that the cast is having a lot of fun themselves. It’s a dialogue-heavy narrative, full of constant apologies, explanations and long-winded monologues. Each one of the stars chews up the scenery.
Reeves (Reef), specifically, showcases a different side. He has been taking on alternative projects as of late, starring in “Good Fortune” last year and now “Outcome.” While his delivery shifts are still subtle, he is able to convey enough emotion and anxiety to sell the character.
Hill (Ira Slitz) is also as charismatic as ever. Time and time again, viewers will find themselves watching Hill ramble about nonsense. It stays gripping because he is so charming. Hill wears multiple hats here, also serving as co-writer (alongside Ezra Woods) and director.
While the cast list is impressive, most are only present for a moment. Outside of Reeves’ character, every other actor is relegated to underdeveloped personas. They have a scene — or two — to shine, and then… they’re gone.
Style Without Substance
The script is one of the film’s weak points. It’s a story that has been done before; much better elsewhere, in fact. The core themes of identity, addiction, reputation and friendship are here, but the execution is very much scatterbrained.
“Outcome” is also never able to achieve a consistent tone. Long stretches of the runtime are completely focused on crude humor. Smaller portions hone in on deeply dramatic elements. Constantly bouncing back and forth, the film fails to flow. Instead, it actually grows more jarring as all of the pieces inorganically come together.
The biggest bright spot comes from Benoît Debie’s cinematography. His choices in “Outcome” can be described by a simple word: extreme. Every setting is vibrant, whether that’s a beach, office or bowling alley. While some of the VFX are shoddy, they’re never noticeably distracting. Instead, the saturated hues give “Outcome” a style that is hard to replicate.
“Outcome” is all about the cast. If you come to see shenanigans (plus just a tad of depth) from Keanu Reeves, Jonah Hill, Cameron Diaz and other stars, you’ll likely be satisfied. If you’re looking for any story whatsoever, it isn’t here.
Rating: 2 out of 5
