Bank of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger

"Bank of Dave 2" continues the themes of challenging big banks on behalf of the little guy, but it struggles to match the charm and freshness of the first film. The story remains engaging, though the courtroom scenes and action-heavy moments feel less impactful and somewhat forced. Rory Kinnear and Jo Hartley deliver as Dave and Nicky, but the absence of beloved characters from Part 1 is noticeable. Forced subplots, including a bland love story, drag down the film's emotional impact. While Burnley's small-town setting adds authenticity, pacing issues and a weaker supporting cast make this sequel less memorable. A decent follow-up worth watching for fans of the original, but it doesn't quite live up to its predecessor.

STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful

Following his successful battle with the big banks, Dave (Rory Kinnear) now he faces a new adversary: Pay Day Loan Lenders, who are targeting the poor and vulnerable, offering financial lifelines before charging exorbitant interest rates. When the top companies are identified, it is discovered that they are just subsidiaries of financial companies based in the U. S., headed by the shady Carlo Mancini (Rob Heaney.) Dave calls in the help of U. S. based expert Jessica (Chrissy Metz) and shy accountant Oliver (Amit Shah) to help in his battle against them.

2023's Bank of Dave obviously made enough of an impression that this hastily delivered sequel has arrived early in the new year, perfectly understandable as times remain tough, and many people are struggling to get by and see their standard of life declining, even though this film actually charts events that now occurred over ten years ago, concerning the regulation of pay day loans. But the present situation was the result of gradual design, and so it's worth a look in.

Director Chris Foggin returns to directing duties, and pretty much repeats the formula of his previous film, basically aiming for a feel good true life tale, in the midst of hard financial times, but while the novelty of this might have seen it by the first time, this time the cracks are a little harder to cover over. While it's portraying no doubt fundamentally honest, salt-of-the-earth working people, it feels over sanitised, lacking the raw, gritty feel of a true, working class area, and suffering as a result. All the gang from before have returned, but it's on a bigger scope now going stateside, leading to an unnecessary and distracting subplot involving an awkward romance between Oliver and Jessica.

If you particularly enjoyed the first one, there are more rich pickings for you here, with Kinnear back on form as the earthy, modest Dave, and a strong supporting cast, just a script that doesn't do the most with the potential at hand. ***

Obviously these aren't meant to be high-end, high-budget films. There's a certain charm to the low production value and deliberate cheesiness of the Bank of Dave films; the same vibe as those 90s and 00s "guilty pleasure" romcoms...

My main fault is that Bank of Dave 2's cheesiness overlaps with lazy storytelling. Aside from an overly predictable romantic storyline, there are too many convenient "coincidences", and at times the plot verges on absurd...

E.g. Def Leppard are conveniently in the right place at the right time, and they help Dave out in quite an unconventional and unrealistic way...(!)(among other eyeroll-inducing coincidences in the plot)

That being said, it's a fun and easy watch overall, making it one to watch again at Christmas etc. I'd give it 6 stars, but since I'm from near "Burnleh" it makes the film funnier and more relatable... So I'll add another star and say 7 😉

I didn't enjoy this as much as the original Bank of Dave. It just seemed rushed, no character or plot development, things just seemed to happen. The romance between the CAB guy (Amit Shah) and journalist (Chrissy Metz) just didn't ring true. The acting wasn't top notch despite the cast who have done far better in the past- the female lawyer (Leila Farzadi) and Rory Kinnear were the 2 standout performers, (having seen the real Dave Fishwick, Rory actually makes the guy seem likeable) the guy who played the mobster wasn't at all menacing or believable, and the NJ cop looked like a homeless guy just off skid row. For an investigative journo the American lady had no go in her! Having Def Leppard appear was always going to be a bonus, but their part of the story seemed shoe horned in, for no real reason. The Dave asleep in the DL equipment box scene was just cringe. It filled an evenings watching, but it could have been so much better.

After his crusade against The Banks, Dave begins his latest project, taking on the pay day loan companies, to do this, Dave calls on the help of an American journalist, named Jessica.

So, we had Gladiator 2, that was the ultimate remake that wasn't needed, and now we have Bank of Dave 2, another remake that didn't need to be made, but whereas Gladiator 2 is awful, Bank of Dave 2 was at least fun, flawed, but fun.

So, it's cobbled together, the romance is a bit daft, and the thought of Dave the crusader battling some sort of crimelord from the other side of the world is for the birds, but who cares, it's fun, and you can't help but adore Rory Kinnear, back as Dave.

It makes you think, adverts for those pay day loans used to be everywhere, now you don't see them, thankfully.

I absolutely loved Chrissy Metz's performance, I thought she was great, she's very charismatic, and has one lovely voice. Amit Shah as always, I really like this guy, seems able to do anything.

A few minor quibbles, firstly, the courtroom scene, which should have been the crowning moment, the big moment of drama, turned into a sixty second, blink and you miss it scene, it was such a shame.

The first one had a streak of reality, this one felt like a work of fiction.

Flawed, but fun.

6.5/10.