“I told him to do what he had to do, but since the government hadn’t taken all of our money yet, I asked him to do me a favor.”

From The Banker.

As a black boy growing up in 1930’s Texas, Bernard Garrett (Anthony Mackie) was fascinated with listening to and figuring out how the white bankers progressed in the world of finance.  Still fascinated and now skilled with finance, Bernard moves with his wife, Eunice (Nia Long) and son to Los Angelos in 1954.  Eager to provide for his family and make a name for himself in investment real estate, Bernard goes into a fairly successful buy-renovate-lease business with Barker (Colm Meaney).  However, Barker’s sudden death leaves Bernard with very little legally to show of their shared investments and no bankers willing to step forward to help him.  Through Eunice’s urging, Bernard goes to her old friend, Joe Morris (Samuel L. Jackson), a wealthy, often-crass nightclub owner, with an idea for them to go together to purchase LA’s Bankers Building and then eventually move into wider real estate from there.  In an effort to avoid overpaying because of their skin color, Bernard and Joe bring in Bernard’s young, white handyman Matt Steiner (Nicholas Hoult) to be the face of their transactions.  While Bernard teaches Matt about math, finances, and real estate, Joe teaches him how to fit in with the wealthy crowd.  Once the prepped Matt is able to negotiate the purchase of the Banker’s Building from the current owner, Bernard begins to use their clout to purchase and lease more buildings.  In 1963, Bernard’s visit to Texas pushes him to purchase the Mainland Bank in his hometown.  With the help of Joe’s lawyer (Paul Ben-Victor) and Matt again acting as the front man, the trio expands their business to bank owners that quietly begins loaning money to the black community.  When a disgruntled employee (Scott Johnson) threatens to expose the two silent owners, the group moves forward in buying a second, neighboring bank and make Matt manager there, too.  As tensions and troubles rise, Bernard, Joe, and Matt find themselves at odds as the federal government moves in to try to stop them.

Based on the crazy true story, this movie captivates with its humor, heart, and honesty.  Mackie, Jackson, and Hoult are genuine in bringing their characters to life, especially when set in such gorgeous sets and costumes.  The Banker is a historical drama that is not to be missed.

| Rated: PG-13 | Running Time: 120 minutes |Genre: biography/drama|

||Family Viewing||Cursing: 2* of 10|Nudity: 0 of 10|Sexuality: 0 of 10|Gore: 0 of 10

|AVAILABLE FOR HOME VIEWING|