DUBAI: In this black comedy movie co-written and directed by Jonah Hill, Keanu Reeves is Reef Hawk — a beloved actor who’s been famous since he was a kid and has a reputation as an all-round great guy. He’s taken a break from acting for five years — ostensibly to build his new home, but actually to get sober after his long-term drug addiction; an addiction that few knew about outside of his high-school friends Kyle (Cameron Diaz) and Xander (Matt Bomer), and his crisis lawyer Ira (Hill, in great form).
Turns out his heroin addiction isn’t the only thing Reef has managed to keep out of the public sphere; he’s also an obnoxious narcissist who’s consistently let down those closest to him (though Kyle and Xander offer some evidence that this wasn’t always the case). And when Ira receives news that someone intends to blackmail Reef with a video (the contents of which are initially unknown) unless they receive $15 million, Reef must face up to his past misdemeanors and embark on an ‘apology tour,’ seeking out people with reason to hate him and trying to make amends (while actually trying to work out who the blackmailer is).
Reef is able to come up with a shortlist of about five people who might hate him. He’s soon disabused of that notion by his PA, Savannah (a dry, droll Ivy Wolk), who reels off a list of dozens, including Reef’s mother.
It’s a fun setup, and Reeves is a solid choice as lead — given his own standing as a widely admired good guy. Reef’s awkwardness when trying to make his first apologies giving a clear reflection of how rarely this former child star has had to take responsibility for anything or attempt any empathy.
There are several laugh-out-loud lines in the movie’s first half (mostly from Hill as Ira) and for the majority of the movie the story strikes a nice balance between gags and layered soul-searching. That balance falls away a little towards the end, with a climax that feels a little too neat and undeserved.
Still, this is a fun showbiz satire with some standout performances, not least from Martin Scorsese as Reef’s first agent Richie “Red” Rodriguez. His scenes with Reeves are among the strongest in the film, and the clearest indication of Reef’s growth. It doesn’t really break any new ground, but the snappy writing keeps it fresh.
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