The Benefactor

Released Jan 15, 2016

1 hr. 32 min.

Drama

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List

26%

54 Reviews

Tomatometer

23%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Consumed by guilt over the accidental death of a couple, an eccentric Philadelphia philanthropist (Richard Gere) provides financial assistance to their pregnant daughter (Dakota Fanning) and her new husband (Theo James).

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Critics Consensus

The Benefactor has Richard Gere and Dakota Fanning, but no clear idea of what to do with either of them, resulting in a drama that never comes anywhere near its intriguing potential.

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Test T

I watched this on DVD recently. When I realised what it was about, I didn't think it would be a film I would enjoy, especially given the generally poor critical reception it has. However, as I began to watch it the film drew me into Franny's world, and I started to take an interest in him. Events move on around him, but the film is only really about him. Richard Gere delivers a powerful and enguaging performace which captured my interest and maintained it throughout the film. So, I'm giving it 3.5 stars, not because I particularly liked it, but because it was well made, well acted and held my attention, which is good enough reason to recommend it in my opinion.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Richard é um ícone, gostei do filme!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

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dave j

Wealthy elite or developer Franny (Richard Gere) gets into a serious car accident and then ends up getting himself addicted to "morphine". And tries to cut corners by granting favors particularly to Olivia's (Dakota Fanning) upcoming doctorate husband, Luke (Theo James).

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Serge L

Not sure what this film was about. A rich guilt-ridden, drug-addicted, narcissistic benefactor with no life trying to have one? Strange and awkward.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/15/21

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deb l

This movie is dreadful. Richard Here over acts to the point where you can't stand it when he comes on the screen. Dakota Fanning rubs her pregnant belly so much and but hardly does anything in this film. I have to say this film sucks.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

coleen k

This movie was very disturbing to me, as I am sure it was meant to be. The main characters abuse of drugs and his larger then life personality and controlling of others lifes was very overwhelming to watch. About 3/4 through the movie I had to shut it off. It disturbed me that much.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Andrew Renzi

Director

Richard Gere

Franny

Dakota Fanning

Olivia

Theo James

Luke

Clarke Peters

Dr. Romano

Cheryl Hines

Mia

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The Benefactor: Trailer 1

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Mark Kermode

Observer (UK)

The Benefactor loses whatever anarchic spark it may have had, leaving us with an increasingly empty symphony of its star's repertoire of heavy breathing, blinking and out-of-context laughing.

Rated: 1/5

Feb 28, 2016

Full Review

Geoffrey Macnab

Independent (UK)

Renzi provides a platform for Gere to act in barnstorming fashion but can't work out what to do with any of the other characters. They tend just to stand embarrassed on the sidelines as Gere holds forth and steals every scene in which he appears.

Rated: 2/5

Feb 25, 2016

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Kevin Maher

Times (UK)

The Benefactor is a character portrait in search of a movie.

Rated: 2/5

Feb 25, 2016

Full Review

Aaron Pinkston

Battleship Pretension

The Benefactor ultimately doesn't have anything interesting to say about the character other than his surface struggles.

Jan 7, 2021

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Ben Nicholson

CineVue

At the heart of Andrew Renzi's directorial debut The Benefactor is a kernel of an intriguing character study... Surrounding it is a tangled mass of loose narrative threads, none of which offer any real satisfaction.

Rated: 2/5

Apr 8, 2019

Full Review

Rosalynn Try-Hane

Battle Royale With Cheese

This is an audacious film about narcissism and digging below the surface of the "good time party guy" to see the demons that lie beneath. However, the film's weakness is that it's a singular movie when it needed to be a dual protagonist movie.

Aug 22, 2018

Full Review

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Synopsis

Consumed by guilt over the accidental death of a couple, an eccentric Philadelphia philanthropist (Richard Gere) provides financial assistance to their pregnant daughter (Dakota Fanning) and her new husband (Theo James).

Director: Andrew Renzi
Screenwriter: Andrew Renzi
Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Films
Production Co: Audax Films
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 15, 2016, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 15, 2016

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