The Best Offer (2013)
Kernel Score: 86% · 3,010 ratings · Rated R
Genres: Drama, Romance, Crime
Released: 2013-01-01
Runtime: 131 minutes
Is The Best Offer worth watching?
Worth watching. A slow, elegant mystery about a lonely auction expert and a con that closes in on him. Its ending polarises, but the craft and atmosphere are strong and it rewards patient viewers.
Watch it if you
- like intelligent, slow-burn mysteries
- enjoy stylish European films
- want a twist you will think about later
Skip it if you
- want a fast thriller
- dislike downbeat endings
Best for: Quiet night in
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch The Best Offer
- Stream: Philo, AMC+, Sundance Now, Acorn TV Apple TV channel
- Free with ads: Kanopy
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-22.
Overview
Virgil Oldman is a world renowned antiques expert and auctioneer. An eccentric genius, he leads a solitary life, going to extreme lengths to keep his distance from the messiness of human relationships. When appointed by the beautiful but emotionally damaged Claire to oversee the valuation and sale of her family’s priceless art collection, Virgil allows himself to form an attachment to her – and soon he is engulfed by a passion which will rock his bland existence to the core.
The Best Offer parents' guide: ages 15+
Parents need to know that The Best Offer is an R-rated drama-thriller involving a reclusive auctioneer drawn into a manipulative romantic con.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like The Best Offer
If you liked The Best Offer, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Cinema Paradiso (1988) — 91%: Warm, nostalgic film from the same director
- The Legend of 1900 (1998) — 92%: Another film by the same director with a lyrical, melancholy feel
- Malena (2000) — 83%: Same director, sensual and bittersweet
- Ennio (2022) — 91%: Documentary on a composer who worked with that director
- A Pure Formality (1994) — 83%: Mind-game drama by the same director
- Her (2013) — 94%: Quiet, strange love story about loneliness
Director
Cast
- Geoffrey Rush as Virgil Oldman
- Jim Sturgess as Robert
- Sylvia Hoeks as Claire Ibbetson
- Donald Sutherland as Billy Whistler
- Maximilian Dirr as Virgil's Assistant
- Philip Jackson as Fred
- Dermot Crowley as Lambert
- Liya Kebede as Sarah
- Hannah Britland as Terri
- Brigitte Christensen as The Sister
The Best Offer FAQ
Is The Best Offer worth watching?
Worth watching. A slow, elegant mystery about a lonely auction expert and a con that closes in on him. Its ending polarises, but the craft and atmosphere are strong and it rewards patient viewers.
Where can I watch The Best Offer?
In the US you can stream The Best Offer on Philo, AMC+, Sundance Now and Acorn TV Apple TV channel, watch it free with ads on Kanopy and rent it from Prime Video and Apple TV.
Is The Best Offer OK for kids?
The Best Offer is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 15+. Parents need to know that The Best Offer is an R-rated drama-thriller involving a reclusive auctioneer drawn into a manipulative romantic con.
What movies are like The Best Offer?
If you liked The Best Offer, try Cinema Paradiso, The Legend of 1900, Malena and Ennio.