The Billionaire, The Butler, and the Boyfriend documents how a legal dispute between a mother and daughter ends up shedding light on an issue of national concern. The docuseries is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
Liliane Bettencourt, the heiress and the main shareholder of L’Oréal, is the wealthiest woman in the world. However, her marriage wasn’t that exciting.
Somewhere in her marriage, she was bored. Things changed for her when photographer François-Marie Banier entered her life. He was unlike the people she used to meet.
The two clicked, and Liliane became too generous to him, to the point that Banier began taking advantage of her wealth and wanted her to adopt him, which would make him her official heir and eligible for her family’s fortune.
Liliane’s daughter, Françoise, files a complaint against him. Liliane doesn’t appreciate the gesture and stands up against her own daughter.
The case becomes more than just a battle between a mother and daughter when a recording by one of Liliane’s butlers reveals that she is involved in activities such as tax evasion and funding politicians.
Positives
The story that The Billionaire, The Butler, and the Boyfriend presents is a soapy affair in itself, worthy of being adapted into a drama. Keeping that in mind, the docuseries also takes one step at a time to surprise viewers with a revelation.
The mess presented is quite complex, and the documentary puts effort into not detailing anything for too long or too short a time, which might affect a viewer’s mood.
When it comes to reenactments, unlike many Netflix documentaries, The Billionaire, The Butler, and the Boyfriend puts the camera on top, giving a fresh look that viewers become quickly comfortable with. Also, it captures most of the details of the events taking place in a room.
Negatives
The Billionaire, The Butler, and the Boyfriend kicks off without a proper build that will give viewers some insight into the topic. The introduction part hardly creates any excitement.
Verdict
The Billionaire, The Butler, and the Boyfriend offers the experience of watching a soap opera about family dynamics, power struggles, and scandal. It’s very engaging and dramatic, even if viewers are not familiar with this scandal.
The Billionaire, The Butler, and the Boyfriend
Director: Baptiste Etchegaray, Maxime Bonnet
Date Created: 2023-11-08 13:30
3.5
Also Read: Get Gotti review: Tame series has you sleeping with the fishes