The Benefactor
An aging philanthropist’s drug-fueled guilt threatens his fragile reunion with the daughter of friends whose deaths he believes he caused.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- melancholic
- brooding
- intimate
- quiet evening
- serious drama night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the premise underdeveloped and the drama ineffective despite Richard Gere’s committed performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Franny believes he caused the fatal accident that killed Olivia’s parents, and his guilt drives the strained reunion.
The account of Franny, Olivia, and Luke is repeatedly connected to flashbacks depicting the tragic accident.
Franny abuses drugs while struggling with the inner demons associated with his responsibility for the accident.
Franny’s identity as an aged philanthropist complicates his reunion with Olivia and her husband Luke.
Films like The Benefactor, and why
The Ice Storm
shared focus on guilt, damaged relationships, and an emotionally troubled protagonist in a restrained contemporary drama
Rabbit Hole
shared themes of grief, remorse, and strained family relationships within a serious character-driven drama
Shame
shared exploration of addiction, guilt, and destructive attempts at emotional recovery
Movie Details
- Director
- Andrew Renzi
- Release Date
- 2015-12-23
- Runtime
- 90 min
- Rating
- 4.9 / 10 (256)
Cast
- Richard Gere
- Dakota Fanning
- Theo James
- Dylan Baker
- Cheryl Hines
- Brian Anthony Wilson
- Justin Goncalves
- Dennisha Pratt
- Matthew Daisher
- Michael Daisher
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Peacock Premium, Philo, Starz Amazon Channel, Starz, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Starz Apple TV channel, Peacock Premium Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Benefactor about?
- An aging philanthropist’s drug-fueled guilt threatens his fragile reunion with the daughter of friends whose deaths he believes he caused.
- What is The Benefactor like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Benefactor as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Benefactor violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Benefactor as mild.
- What did critics think of The Benefactor?
- Critics broadly found the premise underdeveloped and the drama ineffective despite Richard Gere’s committed performance.
- Which films are like The Benefactor?
- Films with a similar feel include The Ice Storm, Rabbit Hole, and Shame.
- How long is The Benefactor?
- The Benefactor runs 90 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Benefactor?
- In United States, The Benefactor streams on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock Premium, Philo, Starz Amazon Channel, Starz, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Starz Apple TV channel, Peacock Premium Plus.
