Jonah Hill (Mid90s) directs this screenplay he co-wrote with Ezra Woods about Hollywood star Reef Hawk (Keanu Reeves), five years sober and on a break from acting, who receives a panicked call from his “crisis lawyer,” Ira Slitz (Hill), who tells him someone is blackmailing him with some dirt from his past. Desperate to maintain his image as a “nice” Hollywood star, he goes about making amends with those he wronged in the past who might have reason to hurt him. (84 min.)
Outcome
What’s it rated? R
What’s it worth, Anna? Full price
What’s it worth, Glen? Full price
Where’s it showing? Apple TV
Glen: This film is getting panned, but don’t believe it. It’s actually a very insightful black comedy examination of the price of fame, cancel culture, regret, and atonement. The film opens with vintage Johnny Carson footage of a singing and tap-dancing kid, Reef Hawk, on the cusp of his budding stardom. When we meet adult Reef, he’s feeling pretty good about himself. He’s been off heroin for five years. He’s got an amazing house on the beach and a personal assistant. His two besties from high school—Kyle (Cameron Diaz) and Xander (Matt Bomer)—are always ready to reassure him that he’s a good guy. Despite all that, his insecurity blooms as soon as he learns someone is threatening to tarnish his image. Can he find out who and apologize before his reputation is ruined? He sets about contacting those he might have wronged, starting with his first manager, Richie “Red” Rodriguez (Martin Scorsese). As Reef works to make amends, it’s abundantly clear he’s still got some personal growth to attend to.
Anna: That ninth step is a real ass-kicker, and Reef is the kind of guy who focuses on his own reflection in the mirror and not what’s going on behind that gaze. Confronting his past and those he may have wronged in a drug-fueled or ego-fueled stupor is less than ideal, but his desperation to stay relevant and liked is an even deeper pull. Hill’s Slitz is an obnoxious character, in turn making Reef an even more endearing—albeit self-involved—guy. Reeves has a way of turning every character he plays into an everyman by being relatable, and I’ve heard the same about the actor himself as a person outside of Hollywood. I’m not sure why this film is getting a bunch of hate. I have some theories around audiences not necessarily wanting to see their favorite actors as real people with real problems, but I found this, and Reeves’ Reef in particular, to be charmingly candid in the way that comes only from someone who has known the biz for most of their life.
Glen: Last year’s Jay Kelly with George Clooney as an aging movie star looking back on his life with regret and Adam Sandler as his loyal manager also didn’t quite connect with audiences, so maybe there’s not a taste for these stories. Also, Hill’s 2018 writer-director debut, Mid90s, was remarkable, so expectations may have been set too high for his sophomore effort, but I think it has some important insights into the TMZification of celebrity culture. It’s satirizing Hollywood, turning over the rocks and watching the insects scatter. I loved soap queen Susan Lucci as Reef’s reality TV star mother, Dinah, who only agrees to let her son apologize if it’s captured on camera for her show. Ugh! And warning, the title turns out to be a punny, double entendre groaner. Watch the film and you’ll see.
Anna: Hill helming a film about an almost canceled star must sit close to his heart—just a few years ago he stepped away from the limelight amid accusations of abuse and controlling behavior alleged by an ex. Needless to say, even stars should get called out when they act badly, and this film depicts the panic inside.
New Times Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Sun Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in April 16 – April 23, 2026.