Bank of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger

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. ***

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.

"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.

While Bank of Dave 2 delivers some enjoyable moments, it unfortunately lacks the heartfelt charm that made the original so special. The first movie resonated with its authenticity and underdog spirit, but this sequel falls short in capturing the same emotional depth.

The script feels overly simplistic, with dialogue that often comes across as contrived and far from believable. Key plot points feel rushed, and the characters-who were so relatable in the first installment-now seem one-dimensional, as if the writers relied on clichés rather than meaningful development.

It's an ok watch if you're already invested in the story, but if you're expecting the same heartfelt narrative and genuine spirit of the first Bank of Dave, you might find yourself a bit disappointed.

It;s hard to describe how much I like this, but the original is Brilliant too. I admit to some geographical, and cultural bias Burnley, Rock Music, virtually every music pub in the UK, Banks, Poverty,,Pay Day Loans. Ordinary working people, becoming completely desperate by the unregulated pay day loan sharks in the UK.. But the Americans come out of this film relatively well, considering they are still trying their best to impoverish all of Europe including the UK.. What makes this film is not just Dave from Burnley, but how completely accurate it is at portraying real people in Lancashire...how warm friendly and welcoming we. Are - even if totally skint..