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Benjamin

Play trailer 2:21 Poster for Benjamin 2020,  1h 25m,  Romance/ Comedy/ LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
Benjamin: Trailer 1 Benjamin: Trailer 1 Now Playing View more videos
Watchlist 90% 40 Reviews Tomatometer 77% 100+ Ratings Popcornmeter
90% Tomatometer 40 Reviews 77% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
A rising young filmmaker is thrown into emotional turmoil by a burgeoning romance and the upcoming premiere of his second feature.
Benjamin

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Inspired by first-time feature filmmaker Simon Amstell's own experiences, Benjamin is a heartfelt ode to the search for human connection.

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Critics Reviews

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Guy Lodge Variety Jul 21, 2020
From this delicate premise, "Benjamin" wrings a lot of warmly perceptive, occasionally acidic humor. Go to Full Review
Anna Leszkiewicz New Statesman Mar 21, 2019
If this all seems a bit meta, Benjamin is grounded by its very sweet love story. Go to Full Review
Tara Brady Irish Times Mar 20, 2019
3/5
Under the satire, there's an authentic sense of emotional uncertainty. Go to Full Review
Jason Shawhan Nashville Scene Sep 9, 2021
If you ever find yourself hoisted on the petard of your own overthinking, then this is the rom-com for you. Go to Full Review
Olly Richards NME (New Musical Express) Sep 3, 2021
Simon Amstell's first feature is a heartwarming, brutal self-portrait... Go to Full Review
Ben Turner The Pink Lens Sep 1, 2021
4/5
The writing is smart, self-aware and subtle, but for a comedian whose output has been so ballsy and sassy in the past, this semi-autobiographical nuance is a whole new angle for the man behind Pop Justice and Never Mind The Buzzcocks. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Luke W Apr 11, 2019 Loved, loved, loved. Was expecting to laugh but wasn't expecting to cry. And Phenix Brossard is beautiful!
Luke L Apr 7, 2019 I've admired Simon's work for a while so I would have been surprised if I hadn't liked Benjamin. Impressive cast and great writing, it's a semi autobiographical film which follows the titular character through a range of emotional ups and downs. Recommended if you like your films a little more thoughtful. See more
Hagrid R Mar 21, 2019 True to his nature, Simon Amstell has written a movie that is unmistakably funny, yet also evokes a roller-coaster of emotions. Benjamin (Colin Morgan) is a young filmmaker who seems to function on the idea that his life and choices need to impress other people. He seems incapable of holding a normal conversation and is anxious and awkward in every given situation. Morgan deserves unending praise for his dedication to the role, and for becoming a character that you laugh at, cry with and ultimately feel waves of secondhand embarrassment for. Noah (Phenix Brossard) and Stephen (Joel Fry) are Benjaminâ(TM)s two support beams. Noah provides a small sense of normality (if you overlook the mushrooms) and romance in Benjamin's otherwise chaotic life. Stephen, on the other hand, is Benjamin's best friend, who also has a lifetime's worth of his own problems. Benjamin surrounds himself with flawed people and unsettling situations, which in turn seem to make his own personal problems escalate. He constantly makes mistakes in an attempt to remedy his own unfortunate choices, and, in the process, he continuously pushes away the one person who can help. Amstell tells a story of a man trying to find a love that he has been otherwise too self-absorbed to feel. The film provides a moving reminder that most of us are flawed, and that in order to cope with our own situations we must sometimes look at the damage we, ourselves, are causing. Amstell must also be recognised for creating a film with a gay couple, in a setting where actually being gay isn't ever mentioned or looked upon as unusual (the way it should be). This is a great move for the LGBTQ+ community and provides a step in the right direction. The film, the characters, the music (by James Righton) are all impeccably written and hopefully this independent film will make a big impact, as it deserves to do. See more
Han G Mar 16, 2019 Possibly one of the most heartwarming, genuine and accepting films I've ever seen. One of the best representations of an LGBTQ+ relationship on film. See more
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Benjamin

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis A rising young filmmaker is thrown into emotional turmoil by a burgeoning romance and the upcoming premiere of his second feature.
Director
Simon Amstell
Producer
Alexandra Breede, Dominic Dromgoole, Louise Simpson
Screenwriter
Simon Amstell
Distributor
Artsploitation Films
Production Co
Open Palm Films
Genre
Romance, Comedy, LGBTQ+
Original Language
British English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 25, 2020, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 25, 2020
Runtime
1h 25m
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