Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that The Benefactor is a psychological drama about a rich, painkiller-addicted philanthropist (Richard Gere) who has a close but dysfunctional friendship with a young married couple he's taken under his wing. The mature content includes frequent substance use/abuse, including three friends sharing a joint while driving, an older man drinking until drunkenness, two men taking Ecstasy, a man abusing a controlled opiate for which he no longer has a prescription, and adults smoking cigarettes. In addition to substance use, there's frequent strong language ("f--k," "s--t," "ass," "p---y," "a--hole," etc.) and a scene in which it seems like a man is going to proposition another man for a sexual favor (but instead it's for an illegal prescription). The movie could prompt conversations about nepotism and when it's wiser not to accept others' generosity because there might be invisible strings attached.
Sexual
Content
A married couple embraces and kisses; a man discusses how much he loved a woman. Women at a gentlemen's club are dressed sexily and are shown dancing for men.
Violence
Fatal car accident at the beginning of the movie; an injured character holds dying, bloody (and then dead) bodies that are visible as he sobs. An injured man stares at his scars more than once. A man grabs another man roughly but doesn't actually hit him.
Language
Many uses of "f---k," "s--t," "bulls--t," "p---y," "a--hole," and more.
Social
Behavior
Encourages caution when accepting extreme generosity -- just because you feel in someone's debt doesn't mean you should break your moral or ethical code to help them. Shows how money, power, and influence don't translate into happiness, friendship, or fulfillment. Stresses that just because you're a philanthropist, that doesn't make you a good person; it just means you have money to give and know how to give it.
Consumerism
Not applicable
Drugs / Tobacco /
Alcohol
Franny is addicted to painkillers and drinks a lot; he usually mixes liquor and painkillers. He also takes Ecstasy in one scene and smokes cigarettes.
