Stometer Save your money for something good and enjoyable

ShangLuda Admirable film.

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Abbigail Bush what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

MattyGibbs 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.

kenpery I wanted to see this film because I really like Dakota Fanning movies and Richard Gere movies. I think most people do. But don't let that lure you in. This is absolute garbage. I can't believe someone actually published this! I can't believe Dakota Fanning and Richard Gere agreed to do this. They must have been paid a lot of money because I don't think anyone would like this writing, it is the worst ever! Dakota is not actually in the film much. The direction is also very bad. It is a pretty lame and boring story but it could have been told much better. I'm sure the producers didn't know how terrible it was going to turn out and we're obligated to publish to recover investment. This is an embarrassment on the careers of Dakota and Richard. Don't waste your time on this one! I wish I hadn't lost that hour and half!

Peter Lorme 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.

Allguns Allguns He would be Francis Watt! (Ok, and we wouldn't have one of the finest TV-Shows of recent television)One thing is for sure about The Benefactor. Richard Gere brought the thunder with his performance and pretty much took the whole movie by his own. Then there was Theo James and he did well, I think. I mean... He's the guy from the last Underworld and the Divergent Series... How much can you ask?Of course that is not fair with the guy, he's a professional actor and he can deliver good performances. In the case of The Benefactor, there was not much to do with it. Even Dakota Fanning, one of the most brilliant actress of her generation, didn't have much to do or say... AND THAT SUCKS, 'CAUSE SHE CAN DO MORE!!! C'mon Hollywood, can't you give her good parts for Christ's sake? Does she charges for line delivered?I think... That's all to say that there's not much to say about the acting or the cast, besides Gere. Well, and there was the resemblance between Bobby (Dylan Baker) and Luke (James). Not much as twins, but enough to make clear that Puddles (Fanning) had serious Freudians issues!The Benefactor is the fiction feature debut to the writer and director Andrew Renzi, and I'll say that I liked and I'll wait to see more of that young filmmaker. The work in the directing wasn't anything mind-blowing but didn't let down.The writing... Well, the writing is far from brilliant. Actually, is very flawed. None of the characters is somebody, not even Franny, they all are a mosaic of characteristics. They have no story, no ego. And that's pretty much the reason the acting from the supporting cast is "meh". But the dialog saves it from being a total flop. The dialog is the thing that makes possible Gere's outstanding performance. Imagine the dialog full of exposition, not even Gere suffering the effects of abstinence in silence would make it better.The third act also had a problem. Everything happened so fast. There was no development to all of that and the conclusion lacks credibility for osmosis. Ten or twenty minutes more in the final cut could make all the difference. Turn the silly ending in something really emotional and believable.Nothing else to be said, just enjoy the movie. It isn't a top-shelf but it works for a simple dose of entertainment.