The Benefactor

Arrogant yet affable Franny (Richard Gere) is a wealthy Philadelphia philanthropist who is haunted by guilt. As his story begins, Franny is developing a children's hospital-wing project with married friends (Cheryl Hines, Dylan Baker). Smoking pot in the backseat of their car, euphoric Franny's impulsive but distracting hug leads to an automobile accident that kills the couple. Five years later, Franny is living in seclusion while recovering from devastating injuries when he receives a call from the couple's twentysomething daughter, Olivia (Dakota Fanning). Newly married to doctor Luke (Theo James) and pregnant, Olivia wants to move back to Philadelphia. Eager to facilitate in any way he can, Franny gets Luke a prestigious position at his now-completed children's wing of the hospital, pays off Luke's student loan, and buys the pair the suburban house that Olivia grew up in. But Franny has also become addicted to pain-killing morphine—and Luke refuses to refill his prescription. Writer-director Andrew Renzi's nightmarish addiction parable is a clunky melodrama laced with clichés and so many implausible plot holes that even Gere's legendary silver-fox charm cannot fill them all. Not a necessary purchase. (S. Granger)