Critics Are Roasting Jonah Hill’s Keanu Reeves Team-Up — What Went Wrong?

Let me be blunt: critics are not buying what Jonah Hill is trying to sell with his brand-new film, 'Outcome'. And it's not for lack of star power or effort—this one's got a stacked cast and a Hollywood redemption plot, but so far, reviews say it misses the mark in a big way.

Jonah Hill Makes Another Pivot

You probably know Jonah Hill from all those comedy hits—'Superbad', '21 Jump Street', 'This Is the End'—and even his Oscar-nominated turns in 'Moneyball' and 'The Wolf of Wall Street'. More recently, Hill has been positioning himself behind the camera: he made his feature directing debut with 'Mid90s' a few years ago (which people mostly liked), and followed that up with a 2022 documentary, 'Stutz'. Now, he's back in director mode with 'Outcome', which just landed on Apple TV.

What's 'Outcome' Actually About?

Here’s the setup: Keanu Reeves stars as Reef Hawk—a guy who has been the golden boy of Hollywood since he was six. But, as the synopsis bluntly puts it, Reef is “not okay.” When a shady extortion plot threatens to out him with a mysterious video, Reef tries to get ahead of the scandal by going on a big, public redemption tour. Think: frantic apologies, attempts to right wrongs, confronting his personal demons—basically, whatever it takes to avoid getting canceled. Along for the ride:

• Keanu Reeves as Reef Hawk (the troubled star)
• Jonah Hill as Ira Slitz
• Cameron Diaz as Kyle
• Matt Bomer as Xander

So yes, it’s loaded with recognizable names.

Why Are Critics So Down on It?

Let’s just say, the early buzz is not great. At the time I’m writing this, 'Outcome' is limping along with a 27% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and critics are not pulling any punches. The complaints have a common thread—this thing just isn’t funny, and it can’t figure out what kind of tone it’s going for. Keanu Reeves gets a little love for trying to salvage it, but even he can’t save a script that most reviewers find messy and all over the place. To give you a taste of just how rough the reception is, here’s a quote from Tim Grierson at The A.V. Club, who says the movie:

Other critics have called out the film’s botched attempts at comedy, and said none of the characters feel remotely real or sympathetic. Matt Goldberg at TheWrap calls it 'painfully broad both thematically and comically.' And David Rooney at The Hollywood Reporter straight up laments that the heart and realness that made 'Mid90s' work are nowhere to be found this time. According to him, it’s just Hollywood navel-gazing masquerading as satire.

If You're Curious...

To sum it up: This is one of those projects where big names and an 'edgy' concept don't add up to a good movie. The critics' verdict is nearly unanimous—'Outcome' is strictly for Jonah Hill completists or the morbidly curious Apple TV+ scrollers. For everyone else, maybe stick with 'Mid90s' if you want to see Hill in the director's chair actually pulling it off.