A Heartfelt Look at Resilience in 'Bank of Dave'
Bank of Dave relates the rags to riches story of working class man Dave Fishwick of Burnley, who made himself a self-made millionaire. Dave, wanting to help his community, sets out to open a local bank to help his local businesses. Rollercoaster ride is his quest for a banking license, as he battles with the might of elitist financial institutions in London. Or more accurately, this film eloquently encapsulates the community spirit and middle fingered thrust at the face of an outdated financial system.
This film is a love letter to resilience, community, and defiance against the odds. It’s a tone of drama and comedy that echoes both the highs and lows of Dave’s fight. One man’s determination can change things, says the film, and hits an emotional chord with audiences, as Rory Kinnear gives a standout performance as Dave Fishwick, his grit and determination hitting true.
Supporting turns from Joel Fry as Hugh, the lawyer, and Phoebe Dynevor as Alexandra, the local doctor, are strong from Fry and Dynevor. Under Chris Foggin’s direction, Bank of Dave does not become melodramatic when telling the story of courage and perseverance, while each character adds depth and dimension to the story making the narrative engaging. By default, the biographical elements are never overdone, brought in by his approach with a documentary band of authenticity and yet maintaining a still entertaining, balanced, steady narrative.
The score is right on the nose for the themes of the film, components that add to emotional scenes without being foremost; all trump the usual score one might expect from something in this category.
Cinematography of Bank of Dave is sold to us on what is the charm of Burnley, and the contrast of the meditative financial district of London, this being a takedown of David the Goliath.
It provides entrée to the stakes on the intimate scale with visual storytelling.
The production design manages to recreate the relevant settings to Dave’s adventure in a variety of settings between the busy streets of Burnley to Burnley’s elegant offices. The attention to detail in turn roots the story in authenticity and brings an increased impact to the story.
Special effects are used sparingly to maintain an emphasis on the narrative and character development. They are subtle, used when theyre not distracting and instead enhancing the story, when theyre not there theyre not a distraction and add to the story.
The editing is clean and the pace even, it doesnt buckle. Bank of Dave manages pacing well, offering a smooth story telling that doesnt feel forced.
A film is film is and Bank of Dave does a good job making the shifts between drama and comedy feel natural. It’s this balance of levity and tension that makes it enjoyable and emotionally resonant as well.
Bank of Dave has some sharp dialogue and great humor that captures the personalities and motivations of its characters very well. True, it further progresses the narrative, helping to shape character relationships and their progression, but this same story is also predictable, because it’s the classic underdog story.
Bank of Dave tells an inspiring story, but good luck catching BofA on the chin, because it does what it can to avoid such things. Despite this, the film has a lot of charm and emotional depth to make up for, but watching Bank of Dave was an uplifting experience that stuck with me. Still powerful, and even in its somewhat halting structure, its human narrative and strong performances hit you deeply, as a reminder of how the tenacity of one person could affect an entire community. While the film is flush with tales of personal conquest, it’s also a paean to local spirit and resilience.
