SummaryA newly married couple (Dakota Fanning and Theo James) are forced to navigate the all-consuming interest of a powerful, mysterious, and possessive philanthropist (Richard Gere).
Directed By:Andrew Renzi
Written By:Andrew Renzi
The Benefactor
Metascore
Mixed or Average
40
User score
Mixed or Average
5.1
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
40
11% Positive
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
63% Mixed
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
26% Negative
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
May 5, 2015
70
The movie ends in a more conventional place than the one where it begins, yet it still marks a surprising and graceful first fiction feature for writer-director Andrew Renzi.
Jan 13, 2016
58
That makes the role well tailored to its occupant: Gere stays within his range of moneyed playboys, while still getting to indulge in the kind of unflattering behavior that a more put-together Richard Gere character would never exhibit.
User score
Mixed or Average
5.1
25% Positive
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
50% Mixed
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
25% Negative
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
Jan 21, 2016
10
For all anyone knows, this movie could be absolutely outstanding, it just hasn't had a huge Disney marketing blitz and therefore is not 'good'. Professional movie criticism is dead after the debacle that is Star Wars: The Force Awakens. What is it about this movie that professional studio shills and spruikers don't like? It's not an unadvertised shoddy remake of a movie made decades ago? Professional Film Critics are laughable joke, totally lacking in integrity.
Apr 24, 2016
6
One man show... I don't think the movie is worth a watch. There's nothing in it apart from Richard Gere's fine performance. If you still want to try it, he is the only reason to consider. You know performances alone can't save the movie, especially that theory did not work in this film. The story was very plain, it was about a man who's living with remorse and suddenly an unexpected thing happens that could help him to come out of his guilt fell, but it only gets worse in his every attempt. The contribution from the rest of the cast was one of two reasons for the movie's downfall. They were okay, no complaint about that, but they were totally not visible like their existence means nothing other than to support the Gere's role. And the other reason was the scenes that lacked to imprint in the viewer's head with memorable quotes and/or moments. I would say there's a dull atmosphere in the entire narration. It is not an entertainer, but can be a character study material. 5½/10
Jan 12, 2016
50
Sadly, The Benefactor proves less rich and engaging as it settles into its actual genre: It's yet another troubled-dude-starts-pulling-it-together tale.
Jan 20, 2016
42
Gere, an actor capable of great nuance, hams it up so mightily you’d think the film was sponsored by Boar’s Head.
Jan 14, 2016
40
What begins as an intriguing psychological thriller devolves into an addiction drama, growing less interesting as it proceeds and giving costars Dakota Fanning and Theo James little to do.
Jan 10, 2016
25
Writer-director Andrew Renzi treats unfettered wealth as a hyperbolic playground through which to explore masculine insecurity.
Mar 10, 2016
4
The Benefactor's true inspiring events may flick people out, but the Benefactor has a load to try harder with a whole load of supplies for a remake of this movie... not a sequel. A remake.
Mar 3, 2016
4
"The Benefactor" has a plot that is hard to ever truly understand, especially when practically nothing happens during the runtime of the film. Richard Gere stars in the overwhelmingly flat film, and his performance is very bad. He is way over-the-top while being void of any emotion at the same time. He feels so out of place that he makes the whole film feel uncomfortable and awkward. Theo James is actually good here, not great but not bad like he is in the Divergent series. Dakota Fanning also stars but has literally nothing to do other than be pregnant. A huge problem in the film is that the audience is never informed about what Gere and Fanning's relationship is, why he cares so much for her, or how he was related to her parents to begin with. It's a glaring issue in a film jam packed with problems. All in all, The Benefactor is an uneventful slog of a film with terrible writing and a grating performance from its lead actor.
Jan 22, 2016
2
Don't waste your money on this movie. It's awful. It has no clear direction and ends in an pat manner that make absolutely zero sense. Within the context of this movie is a concept that "could have" gone somewhere. Gere plays a wealthy man grieving from trauma and losses that occurred in an automobile accident. Apparently his character became addicted to morphine when he was recovering from the serious injuries he sustained in the accident. The movie touches on how doctors get patients addicted to medicines. This seems like a theme, but then goes nowhere. And in the end, after almost slitting his wrists, all is fine because a baby is born. Gere cuts off his beard, The End. Huh? What happened to the morphine addiction?
Apr 10, 2016
1
Reading the plot summary at redbox was more exciting than the actual movie. The story doesn't go anywhere with no point. Don't waste your time watching this one, your not missing anything.
Production Company:
- Audax Films
- Big Shoes Media
- Celerity Pictures
- End Cue
- Follow Through Productions
- Magnolia Entertainment
- Soaring Flight Productions
- TideRock Media
- Treehouse Pictures
Release Date:Jan 15, 2016
Duration:1 h 33 m
Rating:TV-MA
Tagline:His help comes at a price.
Awards
Catalina Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Champs-Élysées Film Festival
• 1 Nomination
Tribeca Film Festival
• 1 Nomination
