With a critical approach to the social barriers faced by the African American community, The Banker, one of the first and most prominent productions of Apple TV+, not only addresses these challenges, but also celebrates the resilience and triumph over them.
'The Banker': The fight for financial equality
The Banker, a 2020 film directed by George Nolfi (Ocean’s Twelve and The Bourne Ultimatum) and starring Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson, is an original Apple TV+ production inspired by true events, elegantly and delicately introducing us to the lives of Bernard Garrett and Joe Morris.
Set in the 1950s, The Banker tells the story of the revolutionary Bernard Garrett who, with the help of Joe Morris, devised an ingenious plan to gain equal access to the American dream for all citizens, thereby becoming the first two African American bankers in the United States.
Always cautious and if necessary staying in the shadows, our protagonists, with their great intelligence and determination, buy banks, grant loans to people of color, and transform neighborhoods that were previously exclusive to whites into prosperous areas full of wealthy African Americans… in short: they successfully craft a major social indictment.
Garrett, a Texan numerical genius, was born in a state where the law supported discrimination against African Americans. Morris is a wealthy man who has always lived large. The course of the story takes viewers to see firsthand the contrast of life for people of color in Los Angeles and Texas.
The film, with its high-quality cinematography, is presented with a good pace that immerses us in the world of real estate business. The story of how the protagonists achieve their own American dream is told with lightness and appeal. Their personalities and different backgrounds complement each other and continuously fill the screen with charisma. From the beginning in media res, one would expect to see the difficulties and obstacles that African Americans faced in those years. Far from it, Nolfi brings us an engaging drama, a cinematic delight.
The Banker is not only a critique of the social conditions of African Americans, but also a celebration of their triumph over these adversities. Through the cunning and determination of its protagonists, the film becomes a powerful social protest and a vibrant testimony of their fight and success in achieving equality.
The Banker is available for subscription on Apple TV+.
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