? This movie deserves more recognition. Set in the 1960s, The Banker follows Bernard Garret (Anthony Mackie) and Joe Morris (Samuel L. Jackson), two black businessmen who manage to break into the real estate and banking industries — two fields that weren’t exactly welcoming to Black people at the time. How? They hired a white man (Nicholas Hoult) to pose as the face of the business, while they secretly ran the show.

Part history lesson, part heist. Garret and Morris outsmart the system designed to keep them out and use the very rules of capitalism to help Black communities gain financial independence — an incredibly satisfying watch for the viewer. The film balances drama with moments of humor, as one can only expect from Samuel L. Jackson.

Despite racism being the main theme, the creators end up playing it a bit safe. While they do highlight social inequalities, they often smooth over some of the harsher realities, seemingly in order to appeal to a mainstream audience.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can watch the movie on Apple TV+ or catch the trailer on YouTube (runtime: 2:30).

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