Bank of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger

Bank of Dave 2: The Lone Ranger is an unexpected sequel that actually finds a worthwhile story to tell and its greatest strength lies in putting the best aspect mostly front and centre this time. It's hindered by an extremely cliché romantic subplot and it seriously jumps the shark towards the end but it always remains entertaining, enhanced by the continued celebration of a genuinely kind and thoughtful person.

Rory Kinnear is easily the best thing about these thanks to his endlessly loveable presence and the increased screen time only improves his performance by giving him more to work with and his accent is faultless yet again. Chrissy Metz and Amit Shah do a good job making the weakest element work as well as it can since their budding romance is cute enough to almost warrant every diversion taken for it.

Returning director Chris Foggin brings a workmanlike quality to proceedings so it's all solidly constructed without anything in particular standing out. Generally, it's very blunt in what it's doing and a lot of the dialogue really lacks subtlety as it makes grand statements in the broadest and most generic fashion possible, especially when it comes to the songs implemented through karaoke.

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.

"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.

What more could you want. Good film based on true story in UK how one man helped change the UKs policies on the corrupt money lending business of credit loan sharks. Follows on from Bank of Dave which again was based on true story. Easy to watch with a true happy ending and involves the famous rock band Def Leppard. Always been a fan and listen to them today, was great seeing them do something like this one and the first one too and why not they are people after all.

Very enjoyable, nice that it was based on true story and that the actual Bank of Dave is still going strong today. Oh and it's got Def Leppard in it too if you missed that.