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COVID-19 Special: 'The Banker' (12)

The Banker (2020) - IMDb



 Director: George Nolfi

Cast: Anthony Mackie, Samuel L. Jackson, Nicholas Hoult

Where can I watch?: The Banker is streaming on Apple TV+

Rating: 4/5

Review: Based on the real-life story of two black businessmen taking on America's systemic racism through real estate ownership, Apple Original's The Banker sees Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson (at his most Samuel L. Jackson, minus the 'motherf*cking snakes on this motherf*cking plane') form a delightfully entertaining chalk-and-cheese relationship, with Nicholas Hoult as their white third wheel. Directed by George Nolfi and boasting a handful of screenwriters, the film wastes no time in establishing Bernard Garrett (Mackie) and Joe Norris (Jackson) as a force to be reckoned with, their Los Angeles property repertoire booming with the help of Matt Steiner (Hoult) as their customer-facing ally. The rags-to-riches scenes in which the hapless Steiner is made into a golf-loving, number-crunching, four-course-lunch-eating businessman possess all the charm of Eliza Doolittle's transformation, but it's clear that their attempts to play the system won't last forever, especially when they turn their attention towards Texas. By no means is The Banker groundbreaking, yet what it lacks in narrative creativity, it makes up for in humanity, with the blossoming relationships between the three protagonists drawn believably and sensitively. 

 A COVID-19 Must-Watch?: In terms of narrative, The Banker certainly doesn't add anything new to the genre, but a deft script and charismatic trio of actors raise it above average fare. It looks excellent too, with sharp suits, glossy cars and sumptuous, timely interiors providing added appeal by the bucket load. Entertaining and insightful, The Banker pays a touching homage to Bernard Garrett and Joe Norris' pioneering fight for equality, with a couple of Sam Jackson idiosyncrasies thrown in for good measure.
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