“Why is it so important to you to exclude an entire race of people from the American Dream?” That’s the question Bernard Garrett poses to a Texas courtroom after he and his business partner, Joe Morris, outsmart systematic racism to establish a real estate empire in the 1950s in Apple-Plus’s The Banker.
The Banker follows young, ambitious African American businessman Bernard Garrett (Anthony Mackie) as he turns his American dream to rise above his upbringing and start a business to full on social activism for the African American community.
Samuel L. Jackson plays his witty business partner (Joe Morris), whose pessimistic attitude and moto are, “even a rigged game is fun to play.” The two often pose as either janitors or chauffeurs to listen in on business deals and navigate a white man (Nicholas Hoult) they train to pose and be the face of their company in an attempt to avoid suspicion from the racist powers that be. They even go as far to have Garrett’s loving and supporting wife, played by the bombastic Nia Long, pose as a cleaning lady.
Together, the two businessmen buy home after home and property after property in Los Angeles. Then, they decide that they need to think bigger than real estate and acquire a bank in Texas so they can loan money to other African American entrepreneurs and potential homeowners, which doesn’t sit well with some of the racist lawmakers.
The Banker is empowerment saturated in entrepreneurial zest. It’s untold stories like this one that truly inspires hope in the face of adversity. Jackson is beyond hilarious as the cynical sidekick and Mackie displays such passion on the screen it’s a shame Apple+ didn’t release it last October as scheduled. He could definitely get some awards attention.
What’s more, The Banker perfectly illustrates how institutionalized racism causes cyclical poverty, and the all the fiscal and social issues that stem from that. If you can’t get a good job, you can’t get a loan to buy a house, and therefore can never achieve true wealth.
But these two brilliant businessmen did not succumb to their adversity or become a victim of circumstance. They creatively rose above and gave back to the community in a tremendous way. In fact, since they managed so many buildings, they are responsible for helping a high percentage of the African American community move out of the poorer neighborhoods in which they were forced into by racist housing and banking practices.
In 1968, three years after Garrett’s moving address to the court, Congress passed the Fair Housing Act which prevented discriminatory practices based on race.
The Banker hits Apple+ March 20. Be sure to check it out for a crash course in real estate investment and a poignant history lesson.
Grade: A