Not only are the major global banks as we know them too big to fail, but local, community-oriented ones are sometimes too small and with good intentions to exist. It’s the reality of a system that unnerves Dave Fishwick, and what serves as the basis for “Bank of Dave,” a film loosely based on the true story of Fishwick’s battle with Britain’s financial system to create a community bank meant to help small. guys.
A man who has made a modest fortune selling vans, Dave (Rory Kinnear) is a kind of Ted Lasso within his small English town of Burnley, where he makes a habit of lending money to local business and friends in need. After Dave comes up with the idea to institutionalize his generous streak into the Bank of Dave, where all profits will go to charities, Hugh (Joel Fry), the tough London lawyer Dave hires to help , comes to town hoping he won’t abuse Dave with his idealism. . A new bank has not been approved for 150 years, and the powers set in are only to protect the elite.
However, after following Dave around for a few days and developing feelings for his niece, Alexandra (Phoebe Dynevor), Hugh quickly becomes a convert to Dave’s mission.
It all makes for an inoffensively pleasant story of David (or, rather, Dave) and Goliath. Conflicts involving complex, powerful interests are set up and resolved on simplistic, clean emotional beats — helped along especially by Fry and Kinnear, who do the legwork to support a sleepily fun drama that once from director Chris Foggin. Even though the movie is about a small win, there’s a quiet pleasure in showing it playing out, especially knowing a version of it happened in real life.
Dave’s bank
Some strong language is rated PG-13. Running time: 1 hour 47 minutes. In theaters and available to rent or buy on most major platforms.