Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
In the 1960s, two entrepreneurs hatch an ingenious business plan to fight for housing integration—and equal access to the American Dream.
The Banker tells a compelling true story about Bernard Garrett and Joe Morris navigating racial barriers in 1960s America through a clever financial scheme, and the premise is genuinely engaging. The acting is solid if not exceptional, with Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson delivering committed performances, though the script doesn't always give them enough depth to fully shine. Cinematography is functional but unremarkable, doing little to distinguish itself visually beyond period-accurate production design. The story offers some novelty in its specific historical angle on civil rights through the lens of banking and real estate, though it follows fairly conventional biopic beats. The ending, depicting the congressional hearing fallout, feels rushed and somewhat anticlimactic given the buildup, undercutting the emotional payoff the story deserves.