The Banker [2020]

There are not enough good things I can see about The Banker. Based on true events in the 1960s, the story follows Joe Morris (Samuel L. Jackson) and Bernard S. Garrett Sr. (Anthony Mackie), two of the first African American bankers in the United States.

In the 1960s two African American entrepreneurs hire a working-class white man, Matt Steiner (Nicholas Hoult) to pretend to be the head of their business empire while they pose as a janitor and chauffeur. It might sound like fiction but it’s a true story.

During the whole 2 hours, not once did I lose interest or enjoyment in it. Thing is, I’ve had this movie on my watchlist since it was released. Watching Mackie’s Netflix movies, I was skeptical. However, in The Banker, Mackie plays a savvy and brilliant businessman who does all the math in his head.

This movie definitely is a character-driven story in how money, greed, and ego can change the dynamic of a relationship and so much more.

And boy it is. Samuel L. Jackson is a force to be reckoned with. Any story, any character, any director.

Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson performances are great enough, they might have overshadowed the true story of how their characters fought through systematic racism/white supremacy to acquire wealth through the banking system. And that is a story we all can learn from.

Should you watch it?

Yes, yes and $10M yes. The Banker is a much fresher and richer than what you’d think looking at it from the outside. Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson performances are simply perfect.

Where can I watch it?

You can stream The Banker exclusively on Apple TV+.