The Benefactor (2015) Reviews

• The poor are crazy, the rich just eccentric...

  Dr_Sagan2016-01-31

  This is a drama about a rich eccentric man in his 60s who suffered a traumatic event and became addicted to substances. Feeling guilt he tries to make amends but in his terms baring gifts which are not acceptable by the persons receiving them. Richard Gere gives a solid performance but nevertheless this is a "little" movie with not much to offer. Everything moves slow and the whole premise is quite simple, so no one can really recommend this movie as a quality spectacle. The low budget is evident through out the movie and some obvious plot holes are quickly swept under the rug. Overall: Nowadays TV series got more complicated and interesting while low budget movies carry simple plots without such interest to justify 95 minutes of your time. If you are a fan of R.G. go and see the latest movie of your favorite actor. Otherwise...

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• Decent acting but doesn't really go anywhere

  MattyGibbs2016-11-28

  The Benefactor is a small drama with a decent cast. Sometimes these kind of movies are really engrossing but unfortunately this one although not terrible isn't memorable. Richard Gere plays a Philanthropist haunted by the death of his friends and wanting to relive his past and make amends at the same time. He therefore sets out to help his friends daughter and her new husband. Although Gere is a good actor his character in this film just comes across as unlikeable. This therefore stops any sympathy you have for him and effectively ends much interest in the film. I thought Theo James did a good job as the husband but Dakota Fanning is woefully under used. At times this is mildly interesting so it wasn't a complete write off but towards the end it sags badly and the rushed ending is highly unsatisfactory. Unless you're a huge fan of any of the actors I'd give this one a skip. This probably worth a 5 but I'll up it to a 6 just for the shock scene near the start.

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• Superb acting from Gere ... but what a boring movie.

  peterp-450-2987162016-01-19

  "Did you buy my house ? I bought it for the three of you. Welcome." I've never been a big fan of Richard Gere. I always associate him with ordinary films of the genre drama and comedy, with a lick of romance. Gere is also perfect for such films. A charismatic person with the right looks. Worthy son-in-law material and someone who made many women's hearts beat faster in those days. Since "Pretty Woman", a film with Gere was for me a film to avoid. Although I surely want to give "The Mothman Prophecies" a chance. And despite his old age, this 67 year-old former gigolo still looks surprisingly frivolous and attractive. Perhaps now you should look for his admirers among the over-60s. I came across "The benefactor" by chance and it didn't look like a romantic comedy to me. Well, it's far from being comical. It shows the agony of the eccentric philanthropist Franny who's suffering from remorse and regret. A guilt this millionaire carries from the time that he's involved in a car accident along with a befriended couple Bobby (Dylan Baker) and Mia (Cheryl Hines). Whether he's the cause or not is not really clear. Daughter Olivia (Dakota Fanning), with whom the bachelor Franny has a good bond, turns his back on him. Five years later, the charming, "dashing through life" multimillionaire who realized energetic plans, has changed into an introverted hermit who spends his days making morphine cocktails. A haggard loner with an appearance of Gandalf the White. A neglected Santa Claus with a thick beard and a wild hairdo. A caveman living in his luxurious cave. And then Olivia returns. Contacting him with the message that she'll be returning as a newly wed, pregnant woman. Franny gets his act together and from that moment on he only has one plan. And that plan is to make this couple's life as easy as possible and support them with his fortune. To be honest, I think the acting performance of Richard Gere in this film was sublime. An overwhelming, charismatic character who demands all the attention during the whole movie. In such a fantastic way that the parts of Dakota Fanning and Theo James, the husband of Olivia, almost completely fade into the background. Gere shows a character that sways from one mood into another. From a flamboyant, enthusiastic founder of a children's hospital to a pitiful heap of misery. And then resurrecting again as a benefactor. Enthusiastically but with a tormented mind. At times I couldn't believe this was really Richard Gere. Fanning's character was reduced to a piece of scenery that served as the initiator of Franny's behavior. The same applies to Theo James. Although he also pleasantly surprised me. The acting looks respectable. What about the story itself? Well, that's something else. First, it is terribly boring and dead simple. The whole story (not the psychological situation) can easily be summarized in a few concise sentences. In other words, nothing much happens. What story were they actually trying to tell? The tragedy of lost friends and a painful rehabilitation? A demonstration of excessive generosity and intrusiveness? The physical and mental deterioration because of an addiction? All of that was in it, but the character study dominated. Also certain questions remained unanswered. Was it really Franny's fault? Where did his fortune come from? And isn't it so that rich people can buy whatever they want? What I do know is that I'll give 'Time out of mind "a chance. More reviews here : http://bit.ly/1KIdQMT

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• Peculiar Drama Lacks Conviction

  lavatch2016-03-08

  The gist of "The Benefactor" is that the main character named "Franny" Watts is independently wealthy and doles out money to his friends with an implicit quid pro quo. The beneficiaries become aware that they are enabling Franny's addiction to painkillers. The principal focus of the narrative is Franny's guilt for an auto accident in which his best friends were killed. Years later, he purchases their home as a gift to their beloved daughter whom Franny calls "Poodles." The film was written a vehicle for Richard Gere in the role of Franny. But all of the character developments are sketchy, as the scenario is built around Gere's emotional outbursts. The thankless role of Poodles is played by Dakota Fanning, who never fully realizes that Franny was responsible for the auto accident that killed he parents when he was smoking marijuana and horsing around in the car. Too much left unanswered in this film. Where did Franny get his money? Why wasn't the auto accident investigated and the lit marijuana cigarette found in the car? How could Poodles allow Franny to purchase the home and pay off her husband's medical school loans with raising some basic questions about his motivation? How could Franny's addiction go undetected for so long? Even die-hard Richard Gere fans will probably find this film perplexing and unconvincing. SPOILER ALERT FOLLOWS: The ending in which Franny's bags are packed and he appears ready for a long trip was the final insult in a film that failed to address the topic raised by the filmmakers about the seriousness of addiction to painkillers.

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• A boring film that has no idea where it's going.

  PeterLormeReviews2016-03-29

  The Benefactor (2015) is overall just a boring film that has no idea where it's going. Wasting an all star cast, this tedious movie does nothing but put the audience to sleep. It's actually hard to describe the movie, because of how forgettable it truly is. The actors are given nothing interesting to do,so they come off as bored. The script is dull and the directing is mediocre at best. Richard Gere is the only one having a good time. He is truly the only interesting part of the movie. Theo James just plays along as a sidekick of sorts. Dakota Fanning does very little in the movie. Most of the time, she is just pouting while she holds her obviously fake pregnant stomach. I'll forget this movie in a week or so.'The Benefactor' is nothing worthwhile.

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