Back in 2023, Netflix debuted a biographical drama that honed in on the life of Burnley-based entrepreneur Dave Fishwick and the amazing tale of how he defied the odds and upset the established order by setting up a community bank in the United Kingdom. That film became an instant hit, capturing and charming viewers around the UK for its effortlessly lovely David versus Goliath-type setup. While that standalone story would have been enough for many, the film performed so well that Netflix actually greenlit a sequel, a film that continued to adapt and delve into the remarkable life of Dave.
That film, Bank of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger, made its debut on the streamer recently, and now you may be wondering if this is one you should add to your watchlist. Immediately, I can tell you that like its predecessor, if you enjoy light, heart-warming, and impossibly charming entertainment, you won't be disappointed, even if some of that charm has worn off for this second outing.
Essentially, where the first film was all about Dave overcoming the odds and the overwhelming British financial oligarchy, this second film sees him seeking justice for those affected by payday lenders. Due to lack of policy controlling how these companies operate and conduct business, Dave realises that they have been locking loaners into deals where they have to pay extortionate interest rates and so he begins an admirable campaign to stop this and outlaw as many of them from the UK as possible. It's a story and narrative that is impossible to not get behind, and the cast do a solid job of providing likeable characters to get behind, but it's lacking in one major area: a good villain.
The main 'bad guy' this time is defined by Rob Delaney's Carlo Mancini, the boss of one of the biggest payday lender companies. While Delaney plays the role of this heartless and apathetic loan shark to a fine level, since he is based in New York and Dave and the gang are located in Burnley, it's a very different and less effective villain dynamic than what we saw in the first film where Hugh Bonneville did a great job at providing a more relatable individual to direct your dislike toward. This very nature of failing to provide a great antagonist is also backed up by the lack of compelling 'lieutenants' in Mancini's army, as for the most part Dave spends his time simply fighting the good fight against the established order again, which for a sequel, doesn't quite land as well a second time.
But Rory Kinnear is great as Dave once more, portraying a character that you simply can't dislike. Chrissy Metz and Amit Shah also work well together and help bolster a cast that for this follow-up misses the charisma of Phoebe Dynevor and Joel Fry.
For a small-scale sequel that clearly was never given the same blank cheque that a lot of Netflix's expensive crap receive, Bank of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger succeeds. It's not a step-up on its predecessor and there are clear places where the film lacks, but what it does offer by the boatload is emotion and charm. This is another example of the the little person beating the odds, and for that reason, you won't find many new options on Netflix that you come away from feeling as simply happy and warmed to the heart as this.