The Banker (2020)
PG-13 for some strong language including a sexual reference and racial epithets, and smoking throughout | 2h | Drama
Coming March 20th 2020 to Apple TV+
Synopsis: Inspired by true events, “The Banker” centers on revolutionary businessmen Bernard Garrett (Anthony Mackie) and Joe Morris (Samuel L. Jackson), who devise an audacious and risky plan to take on the racist establishment of the 1960s by helping other African Americans pursue the American dream. Along with Garrett’s wife Eunice (Nia Long), they train a working class white man, Matt Steiner (Nicholas Hoult), to pose as the rich and privileged face of their burgeoning real estate and banking empire – while Garrett and Morris pose as a janitor and a chauffeur. Their success ultimately draws the attention of the federal government, which threatens everything the four have built.
Review: This film was a joy to watch. Even with the frustration and anger inciting issues that plagued 1960’s America THE BANKER is able to focus on the positive; two men who would not let racist hatred derail their dreams. It manages to be light and often humorous as it follows this odd couple of business men and their attempt to thwart a system skewed against them.
Bernard Garrett (Anthony Mackie) is a focused, strait-laced entrepreneur with a calculator for a brain. He has a knack for real-estate and development. Joe Morris (Samuel L. Jackson) is a loud and boisterous club owner and street wise investor who has built up quite a bit of wealth of his own. These two polar opposite personalities add much to the entertainment of the story.
Race was a huge hurdle for these men but they were constantly able to rise above it and navigate around it with dignity and intelligent decision making. The film makes sure we understand that those hurdles were there but it spends more time on the brilliant business practices of the two main characters. These men broke no actual laws – other than those set in place by ignorance – and had to take extraordinary steps in order to do common business transactions; simply because of the color of their skin.
Much of the humor too comes when Garret and Morris decide to use Matt Steiner (Nicholas Hoult) as the white face of their company. Matt is a blue collar working guy who knows nothing about the world of high finance. Bernard and Joy have a short time window to teach Matt not only how to act in a sophisticated manner but also how to understand and speak the numbers language needed in the banking world. Luckily Matt is a fast learner but still needs the help of his mentors. Garrett and Morris take on the roles of janitor and a chauffeur so they can blend in without raising suspicion. The fact that these wealthy business men had to do such degrading acts, just to step into a building they own, shows how truly horrible a time that was in our nation. But again they knew it was a means to an end and did what they had to do.
The Banker reminded me of the film HIDDEN FIGURES. Though maybe not as perfect it had a lot of the same pacing. They are both stories about brilliant individuals who rose to great heights in spite of their surroundings. They both have engaging characters and spot on acting. Jackson and Mackie are fantastic in this and their on-screen interaction is a delight to watch. The story alone is enough to get your attention.