‘The Banker’ Film Review: Anthony Mackie Gives Energy to Blandly Competent Biopic
This tale of black entrepreneurs taking on 1960s racism avoids the narrative risks that would have given this tale more power
William Bibbiani | March 4, 2020 @ 9:00 AM
Last Updated: March 4, 2020 @ 9:04 AM
Apple TV+
With new streaming services there must come new content, and so it is that Apple TV+ has produced “The Banker,” a biographical film about Bernard Garrett and Joe Morris, two black real estate developers who, when obstructed by racist banks, used cleverness and guile to purchase the banks’ own buildings in the 1960s.
It’s the kind of act of rebellion that makes for an excellent story and, potentially, an excellent film. Garrett and Morris used wit, duplicity and even elaborate costumes to strike a blow against institutionalized racism while becoming, themselves, powerful and successful and wealthy men. It should be easy to connect with their underdog story, to enjoy their righteous con jobs, and to stick by their side when the scheme comes crashing down.
Unfortunately, “The Banker” is the kind of biopic that takes serious issues of race and tries to make them palatable, whether or not it feels genuine. The film relies on tried-and-true, formulaic storytelling beats like training montages, impassioned speeches and, for extended and frustrating periods, focusing on the white guy Garrett and Morris used as their representative in meetings with racist bigwigs.
“The Banker” seems to be actively striving to be inoffensive, which undermines the genuine offenses men were fighting against, and which made their story worth telling in the first place.
Anthony Mackie stars as Garrett, whose father taught him to curb his ambitions of working in finance; nevertheless, he has moved to California with his wife Eunice (Nia Long) with the intention of buying up local apartment complexes, renovating them, integrating them and making his fortune. He’s saved up money, but to seal the deal he needs a loan, and he’s stymied at nearly every turn.
It’s Eunice who suggests Garrett go into business with Morris, played by Samuel L. Jackson, but Morris — though rich and successful and the owner of profitable properties — is an unapologetic lout. Garrett, a stick in the mud if ever a movie saw one, takes an instant disliking to Morris’s boorish, scene-stealing ways and refuses the opportunity until fate steps in and an alliance becomes absolutely necessary.
Garrett comes up with the revolutionary idea to acquire his own bank by buying the building that houses it, but in order to get in the room and have their offer taken seriously, they need a white front man. Enter the affable but naive Matt Steiner (Nicholas Hoult), who worked for Garrett renovating apartment complexes and now has to take a crash course in banking, etiquette and even golf in order to impress high-society types and pass as one of them.
In order to keep an eye on Steiner, and feed him information when necessary, Morris and Garrett and even Eunice are forced to dress up as chauffeurs and janitors so they can stay in his orbit, which Morris finds playfully ironic, Eunice endures with dignity, and Garrett hates with every fiber of his being.
For a brief but somehow incredibly long time, “The Banker” becomes a microcosmic version of “My Fair Lady,” with Garrett and Morris teaching a well-intentioned bumpkin how to be even whiter, in order to achieve their own ends. The irony is never entirely lost, but it does get obfuscated by just how contrived and long this montage becomes. What’s worse, once Steiner takes center stage, he refuses to leave it for long periods, and starts demanding — politely, because he feels like he’s earned it — an opportunity to make banking decisions for himself, and even to run his own bank.
The best part of “The Banker,” besides Jackson’s welcome and rousing performance (since the prolific actor looks like he’s enjoying this role more than most of his others, lately) is the film’s canny understanding that Steiner, for all his screen time and well-articulated loyalty and clearly good intentions, cannot ever be trusted. It’s Morris who states, clearly and for the record, that he can never put his faith in any white person because they have racism as their safety net. The temptation to throw Garrett and Morris under the bus, because the law would be more eager to punish black scapegoats, is too strong for anyone to resist.
So when Garrett and Morris get ambitious, and secretly purchase a bank in Garrett’s home town in order to offer loans to black communities, once again using Steiner as their point man, that’s where the scheme begins to unravel. Steiner just isn’t all that smart, and Hoult does an admirable job of playing a person who’s been trained to act intelligent but doesn’t have actual wisdom and experience to back it up. And the temptation to save himself, at the expense of his friends and co-conspirators, may be too powerful to resist.
It’s all very competent, but competence isn’t very powerful. In a film like “The Banker,” where serious matters are treated like formulaic plot points and dramatic concessions are made to amplify the white experience in a story about racism in the 1960s, competence is a half-measure. The cast uniformly does their job, and the cinematography by Charlotte Bruus Christensen (“A Quiet Place”) bathes the era in sun-dappled earth tones, evoking sepia without going nuts with it.
In the end, the story is told, and it’s told in such a way that we get the gist of it, and know where the injustice was, and why we should be angry, and why these men are the financial Robin Hoods of their day.
But although it’s been produced for Apple TV+, this PG-13 biopic feels so very safe that it could have been produced by Disney. And that’s doing the real-life story a disservice. “The Banker” is a story of political activism by way of financial manipulation, and it’s spurred forward by overwhelming offense, by racism, by righteous and justified anger.
Mackie does a decent job of articulating his anger, and the filmmakers clearly care about the issues, but “The Banker” doesn’t take the narrative risks necessary to tell its story powerfully. Competence is all we get instead, and competence isn’t quite enough.
Apple TV+: Here Are All the Original Shows in the Works for Apple's Streaming Service (Photos)
Apple TV+ finally launches on Friday with four original series, some kids' programming and a little non-fiction content. But Apple's forthcoming streaming service, which is the tech giant's attempt to compete with the likes of Netflix and Amazon, will begin to roll out even more programs in the coming months from star players like M. Night Shyamalan and Octavia Spencer. TheWrap has rounded up all the shows that have been set for the streaming service so far, or are currently in development, so you know what you'll get if you subscribe for $4.99/month. We've also noted which series will be available with the Nov. 1 launch.
“The Morning Show” Taking an inside look at the dark side of morning TV, Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston executive produce and star in the drama series. Witherspoon comes to this off her hit HBO drama “Big Little Lies” and Aniston returns to TV in a major role for the first time since her hit sitcom “Friends” went off the air. Steve Carell will also star on the series from Kerry Ehrin. (Available at launch)
Apple TV+
“Dickinson” This coming-of-age comedy series will star Hailee Steinfeld as Emily Dickinson, exploring the constraints of society, gender, and family that she experienced as a budding writer. The show is written by Alena Smith and directed by David Gordon Green. (Available at launch)
Apple TV+
“Ghostwriter" A reinvention of the beloved original series, follows four kids who are brought together by a mysterious ghost in a neighborhood bookstore, and must team up to release fictional characters from works of literature. (Available at launch)
Apple TV+
“See” Francis Lawrence, best-known for directing "Red Sparrow" and the final three "Hunger Games" films, will direct and produce this drama written by Steven Knight and starring Jason Momoa and Alfre Woodard. The sci-fi series is set in a future where humans are born blind. (Available at launch)
Apple TV+
“For All Mankind” "Outlander" and "Battlestar Galactica" showrunner Ronald D. Moore created and will write and produce the science fiction drama, premised on the idea that the Space Race of the Cold War never ended. He co-created the series with “Fargo” executive producers Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi. (Available at launch)
Apple TV+
“Helpsters” The first series set up as part of Sesame Workshop’s partnership with Apple, the show stars Cody and a team of vibrant monsters who love to help solve problems. It all starts with a plan. (Available at launch)
Apple TV+
"Snoopy in Space" A new original from Peanuts Worldwide and DHX Media, takes viewers on a journey with Snoopy as he follows his dreams to become an astronaut. Together, Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the Peanuts crew take command of the International Space Station and explore the moon and beyond. (Available at launch)
Apple TV+
Oprah Winfrey docuseries As part of Oprah's multi-year content deal with Apple, she revealed she's working on a documentary called "Toxic Labor" and a multi-part untitled series about mental health. She is also bringing back her book club as a show, "Oprah's Book Club." ("Oprah's Book Club" will be available at launch)
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“Servant” "Sixth Sense" and "Glass" director M. Night Shyamalan will executive produce this psychological thriller, with Tony Basgallop writing. Lauren Ambrose and Rupert Grint star as a young couple who hire a nanny (Nell Tiger Free) to care for their newborn. (Premiering Nov. 28)
Apple TV+
“Truth Be Told” Based on Kathleen Barber’s novel of the same name, the series centers on investigative reporter Poppy Parnell (Octavia Spencer) as she follows an old murder case through her podcast, and will explore America's obsession with true-crime podcasts. Aaron Paul, Lizzy Caplan, Elizabeth Perkins and Mekhi Phifer also star, with Reese Witherspoon executive producing. Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping and Kristen Campo from Chernin Entertainment are also set to serve as executive producers. (Premiering Dec. 6)
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“Amazing Stories” Steven Spielberg will executive produce the revival of “Amazing Stories,” the science fiction and horror anthology he co-created for NBC that ran for two seasons in the 1980s. After some behind-the-scenes shakeups, including the departure of original showrunner Bryan Fuller, "Once Upon a Time" creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz signed on to run the reboot.
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“Calls” The new, short-form English adaptation of creator Timothée Hochet’s French series will take on an innovative form of storytelling, utilizing real-life audio sources and minimal visuals.
Canal+ Group
“Defending Jacob” Described as a gripping, character-driven thriller based on the 2012 novel by William Landay, “Defending Jacob” stars Chris Evans, with “Planet of the Apes” screenwriter Mark Bomback to serve as showrunner.
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“Home Before Dark” The mystery series follows a girl who moves from Brooklyn to a small lakeside town, and subsequently uncovers a cold case that residents attempted to bury. The project was inspired by the real-life story of Hilde Lysiak, a young investigative reporter who exposed a murder in her hometown of Selinsgrove, PA, garnering national and international attention. Brooklynn Prince and Jim Sturgess will star.
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"My Glory Was I Had Such Friends" Jennifer Garner is set to star in the J.J. Abrams-produced series based on Amy Silverstein's 2017 memoir about an extraordinary group of women who supported Silverstein as she waited for a second life-saving heart transplant.
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“Pachinko” An eight-episode adaptation of the 2017 bestseller by Min Jin Lee, Apple’s “epic in scope” adaptation of “Pachinko” will be set in Korea, Japan and America. “The Terror” alum Soo Hugh will serve as showrunner.
Apple
“Foundation” Based on Isaac Asimov’s novel series of the same name, this series stars Jared Harris and Lee Pace and tracks the future history of the human race during and after the decline and fall of a galaxy-spanning empire. David S. Goyer serves as showrunner.
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“Central Park” Josh Gad and Loren Bouchard are set to produce this animated musical series about a family of caretakers who live and work in -- and end up saving -- Central Park. The voice cast includes Gad, “Frozen” star Kristen Bell, and “Hamilton's” Daveed Diggs and Leslie Odom Jr.
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“Home” The 10-episode docuseries centers on innovative homes around the world as well as the people who built them. Matt Tyrnauer directs and serves as one of the executive producers.
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“Little America” This show tells the stories of immigrants in America, drawing from true stories featured in Epic Magazine. The show will be written and executive produced by Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, the husband-and-wife team behind the hit romantic comedy “The Big Sick,” which hit theaters in the summer of 2017 to critical and commercial success.
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“Little Voice” The dramedy featuring original music from Sara Bareilles focuses on finding your authentic voice in your early 20s and is inspired by the diverse musicality of New York. It is produced by J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.
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“Mythic Quest” Co-created by “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” duo Rob McElhenney and Charlie Day will star McElhenney as the head of a video game development studio. F. Murray Abraham, Imani Hakim, David Hornsby and Danny Pudi also star.
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"Shantaram" An international drama series based on Gregory David Robert's novel, "Shantaram" stars Charlie Hunnam as Lin, a man who has escaped an Australian prison and carves out a new life in Bombay. The series is written and executive produced by Eric Warren Singer.
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Untitled Brie Larson project Based on the memoir by Amaryllis Fox titled “Life Undercover,” the untitled series will star Brie Larson as a young woman recruited to join the CIA. “Animal Kingdom” writer and executive producer Megan Martin is in talks to write and executive produce the series from Medias Res.
Photographed for TheWrap by Patrick Fraser
Untitled Curtis Sittenfeld project Inspired by Curtis Sittenfeld's short story collection "You Think It, I’ll Say It.” Colleen McGuinness serves as showrunner, while Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter serve as executive producers. "Saturday Night Live" alum Kristen Wiig was originally attached to star but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.
Christopher Polk/Getty Images
Untitled Damien Chazelle project Damien Chazelle, who became the youngest person ever to nab the Academy Award for Best Director when he won for “La La Land," will write, direct, and produce a one-hour drama for Apple, alongside executive producers Jordan Horowitz and Frank Berger.
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"Time Bandits" Taika Waititi is developing an adaptation of Terry Gilliam’s 1981 film, “Time Bandits” for Apple. Waititi will co-write and direct the pilot for the potential series, which is being co-produced by Anonymous Content, Paramount Television and MRC. He also will serve as executive producer alongside Gilliam and producer Dan Halsted.
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"Mr. Corman" Joseph Gordon-Levitt is set to write, direct, executive produce and star on “Mr. Corman,” a dramedy series in development at Apple TV+. The show, which hails from A24 and Gordon-Levitt’s HitRECord banner, follows the life of a public schoolteacher (Gordon-Levitt) in California’s San Fernando Valley.
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"Mosquito Coast" Justin Theroux will star in this series based on the 1981 novel by his uncle, novelist Paul Theroux. The show, which has been ordered to series, follows an idealist who uproots his family to Latin America. “Luther” creator Neil Cross will co-write the first episode with Tom Bissell and serve as showrunner on the series.
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"Swagger" “Black Panther” and “Us” star Winston Duke leads this basketball drama from NBA superstar Kevin Durant. Duke will star as Ike, a youth basketball coach and former star player. The series went into production this month.
TheWrap
"Lisey's Story" Clive Owen and Julianne Moore will star in this limited series from Stephen King and J.J. Abrams. Based on King's best-selling 2006 novel, the deeply personal thriller follows Lisey (Moore) two years after the death of her husband. A series of events causes her to begin facing amazing realities about her husband that she had repressed and forgotten.
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"Masters of Air" This limited World War II drama series comes from Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg and will be the first series produced in-house by Apple. The show is based the book of the same name by Donald L. Miller and follows the true, deeply personal story of the American bomber boys in World War II who brought the war to Hitler’s doorstep. It is the third series in Spielberg and Hank’s “WWII saga,” following “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific,” both of which aired on HBO.
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"Ted Lasso" Jason Sudeikis is bringing back his clueless football coach character Ted Lasso for a new series at Apple TV+. “Ted Lasso” — named for the character Sudeikis first originated on NBC during the networks Premier League coverage — stars the “Saturday Night Live” alum as an idealistic all-American football coach hired to manage an English football club, despite having no soccer coaching experience at all. In addition to starring, Sudeikis will serve writer and executive producer on the comedy, which has been given a series order.
NBC
"El Gato Negro" adaptation Robert Rodriguez and Diego Boneta are adapting Mexican comic book “El Gato Negro” into a TV series for Apple. The MGM Television-produced project, which is in the early stages of development at the forthcoming streaming service, would be directed and executive produced by Rodriguez and star Boneta, who would also executive produce. “Supergirl” writer Eric Carrasco is writing the script, with Joel Novoa set as a co-producer for the potential series.
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Tech giant’s attempt to compete in SVOD space launched Friday
Apple TV+ finally launches on Friday with four original series, some kids' programming and a little non-fiction content. But Apple's forthcoming streaming service, which is the tech giant's attempt to compete with the likes of Netflix and Amazon, will begin to roll out even more programs in the coming months from star players like M. Night Shyamalan and Octavia Spencer. TheWrap has rounded up all the shows that have been set for the streaming service so far, or are currently in development, so you know what you'll get if you subscribe for $4.99/month. We've also noted which series will be available with the Nov. 1 launch.
Apple TV+
Apple TV+
