Film review: ‘BANK OF DAVE’ by Nick Gardener from ‘Built For Speed’

Movies like The full Monty and Brassed Off have given us a sub-genre: the ‘quirky, warm-hearted, British working-class folks versus corporate meanie’ film.  These movies are a little predictable but usually fun and endearing enough that we can comfortably overlook their clichés and simplistic view of working people.  That’s mostly the case with the latest addition to the fold, Bank of Dave. Based loosely on a true story, this film successfully trades on the low-key charm of its central characters and the feel-good factor of its David and Goliath tale although some of it is unconvincing and slightly cornball.

The Bond films’ Rory Kinnear stars as Dave Fishwick, a likeable working-class guy made good who wants to help the people of his beloved Northern English town of Burnley by setting up a community bank.  His so-called ‘Bank of Dave’ will allow locals access to finance that the big banks deny them.  To gain accreditation, he consults London financial lawyer Hugh (Joel Fry) who initially thinks he’s going to convince Dave it’s all a pipe dream. We don’t have to be the Great Karnak to know that Hugh will be won over by the decent folks of Burnley, the unrelentingly hopeful Dave and the virtues of a community bank.  Inevitably, though, the priggish silver-haired elites in London’s financial world dismiss the wholesome upstart and set about sabotaging Dave’s plans.

This is mostly a feel-good comedy/drama but it’s also a homage to community and grass roots activism as well as a swipe at the banking system and capitalism itself.  The film is set in the wake of the GFC and shows its impact on working class people and services like medical care.  Dave sees his fellow townsfolk still stinging from the billions lost by the elite bankers and as much as setting up the community bank, he wants the Eton and Oxford educated finance moguls to tell the truth about how they mishandled the economy. Of course, there needs to be a romantic angle with a film like this and here Hugh’s smitten by Dave’s stunning, forthright doctor niece Alexandra (Bridgerton’s Phoebe Dynevor).  While they seem a likeable enough couple, their romance feels a bit tacked on.

Kinnear is a fine casting choice for Dave and convinces as a humble, committed and likeable guy in touch with his community.  Fry makes a decent foil with an endearing and slightly goofy comic style reminiscent of David Walliams.  Interestingly, the typical plot thread of the smug big city blow-in arrogantly dismissing the salt of the earth locals before being seduced by them is dispensed with pretty quickly as Hugh’s on board with Dave almost from the get-go.

As Dave and the Burnley townsfolk do with Hugh with, this film mostly squashes our cynicism and wins us over but not all of it works.  The filmmakers can’t help indulging some clunky stereotypes, especially the pompous nasties of the banking world.  They’re all scotch and soda drinking types who slither out of wood panelled private clubs and regard everyone with a haughty sneer. As one of these characters, Sir Charles Denbigh, Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville makes the most he can of the role but it still feels a bit too clichéd.

A story based around banking could have been a little dull so the filmmakers have wisely spiced it up with plenty of music, there’s some bouncy pop rock on the soundtrack, Joel Fry does a painful karaoke version of ‘Losing my Religion’ (in an obvious metaphor for him succumbing to the lovable small town) and one of Dave’s buddies is the former manager for Saxon, Bad Company and Def Leppard, a role that has implications later in the film.

Even if it wasn’t based on a true story, a film like this wouldn’t offer too many surprises and most viewers will know where it’s headed.  Still, Bank of Dave mostly pulls off its call to arms with touching sincerity and its working-class hero tale and perky performances make it a welcome antidote to the torrent of misery we see on the news every night.

Nick’s rating: ***

Genre: Drama/ Action/ Adventure/ Animation.

Classification: M.

Director(s): Chris Foggin.

Release date: 1st June 2023.

Running time: 107 mins.

Reviewer: Nick Gardener can be heard on “Built For Speed” every Friday night from 8-10pm on 88.3 Southern FM.

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