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The true story of Dave from Burnley (Rory Kinnear), a used car salesman who runs his own 'bank' on the side, lending to local families facing hard times, at affordable rates, and at a pace they can pay back. Hugh (Joel Frye) is dispatched from London to meet Dave, and find out how he runs his sideline business so successfully. However, when it comes to the attention of banking big shot Sir Charles (Hugh Bonneville), the establishment begin a campaign of repression against Dave, that ultimately proves fruitless and he comes out on top.
As Britain braces the 'Cost of Living Crisis', it's interesting to step back in time to the moment when the wheels arguably began rolling, leading up to the situation we presently find ourselves in, and when everyone first got a taste of how bad things were to come. Sometimes, it's not just stories that feel so unbelievable they couldn't possibly be true that get under our skin, but true stories that lift us up and restore our faith in humanity, such as this offering from director Chris Foggin, that plays out in a completely perfunctory way, offering little in the way of surprises, but still can't help being an uplifting, inspiring feel-good film.
Foggin's film has the production values of a TV movie, and it's fair to guess most of the budget probably went on top end Southern actors Kinnear and Bonneville. This most likely being the case, in this regard it got its moneys-worth, with Kinnear doing a fine Northern accent and delivering a convincing, warm-hearted performance, while Bonneville, with lesser screen time, is a hissable villain. The script is rather serviceable and workmanlike, never doing anything special and playing by numbers, but sticking by just the right formula that it's all still very endearing, and authentically northern in its vibe and sound that it works just that little bit more.
There's nothing like a feel good film, and it's that little bit more special if it just happens to be a true story, and while it does nothing out of the ordinary, it's still a nice and uplifting little ride while it lasts. ***
The true story of Dave from Burnley (Rory Kinnear), a used car salesman who runs his own 'bank' on the side, lending to local families facing hard times, at affordable rates, and at a pace they can pay back. Hugh (Joel Frye) is dispatched from London to meet Dave, and find out how he runs his sideline business so successfully. However, when it comes to the attention of banking big shot Sir Charles (Hugh Bonneville), the establishment begin a campaign of repression against Dave, that ultimately proves fruitless and he comes out on top.
As Britain braces the 'Cost of Living Crisis', it's interesting to step back in time to the moment when the wheels arguably began rolling, leading up to the situation we presently find ourselves in, and when everyone first got a taste of how bad things were to come. Sometimes, it's not just stories that feel so unbelievable they couldn't possibly be true that get under our skin, but true stories that lift us up and restore our faith in humanity, such as this offering from director Chris Foggin, that plays out in a completely perfunctory way, offering little in the way of surprises, but still can't help being an uplifting, inspiring feel-good film.
Foggin's film has the production values of a TV movie, and it's fair to guess most of the budget probably went on top end Southern actors Kinnear and Bonneville. This most likely being the case, in this regard it got its moneys-worth, with Kinnear doing a fine Northern accent and delivering a convincing, warm-hearted performance, while Bonneville, with lesser screen time, is a hissable villain. The script is rather serviceable and workmanlike, never doing anything special and playing by numbers, but sticking by just the right formula that it's all still very endearing, and authentically northern in its vibe and sound that it works just that little bit more.
There's nothing like a feel good film, and it's that little bit more special if it just happens to be a true story, and while it does nothing out of the ordinary, it's still a nice and uplifting little ride while it lasts. ***