The Banker

The premise behind this was great, and had lots of potential. But the writing made this one of the most poorly written movies I've ever seen.

It was decent. I'd recommend.

Decent film, but challenging to relate with. The ups and downs in their journey lack the excitement or tension needed to fully engage the audience in their successes or failures.

Such a great movie. Highly recommend.

I honestly felt very little tension throughout this film which would usually be a problem for me in a film like this (BLM, racism, 20th century period piece), but in this case, I felt fine with it. The movie moved along at a nice pace and kept me interested. The pacing was outstanding and the score added to the film and the pacing positively. The acting performances were all good. Nothing over the top, although Samuel L. Jackson delivered a more subdued performance than normal. Don't get me wrong, he was still Samuel L., but not is "Mother fing" self. The story was worth telling however it is highly fictionalized and they seemed to take the safe route in the telling. Just know that and do research if you want to know more.

I had to concentrate hard on the financial complexities to understand the important banking elements of the plot but, essentially, it's a tale about black repression and white autocracy. One roots for the black characters excellently played by Samuel L Jackson and Anthony Mackie. Their downfall is caused by a careless but enthusiastic amateur, Nichola Hoult, who the black bankers use as a front in order to buy banks in white area. The court room denouement is predictable but there's a nice restorative twist at the very end. Based on historic events, it's a terrible indictment of the housing segregation that pertained in the US until the law changed in the 60s. But the film has enough characterful verve to prevent it being a dull lecture.

A 2+ hour movie I would actually watch in one sitting is rare for me. Los Angeles in the 1950s and 1960s, real estate finance, banking topics, gorgeous properties and general bodaciousness.

Really good biopic with a perfect ending, almost

It's too bad a behind the scenes scandal ruined the Oscar chances of The Banker, because Apple Pictures first major feature was primed for multiple nominations. That's my way of encouraging you to watch The Barber.

Really intriguing biopic. Depicted one of the aspects of how the United States built a system that was meant to prevent minorities, especially African-Americans, from advancing in the social ladder. Film wise, acting was good, cinematography was okay, music was good.