| The Banker | |
| Director: | Ikechukwu Onyeka |
| Studio: | Royal Arts Academy |
| Producer: | Emem Isong Nsikan Isaac |
| Editing: | Daniel Tom |
| Music: | George Nathaniel |
| Screenplay: | Yinka Ogun |
| Runtime: | 81 minutes |
| Language: | English |
| Country: | Nigeria |
The Banker is a 2015 Nigerian drama film, produced and directed by Emem Isong and Ikechukwu Onyeka respectively. The film starred Mbong Amata, Maureen Okpoko, Belinda Effah and Seun Akindele. It premiered at Civic Center, Lagos on May 16, 2015.[1] [2]
The story is centered on how female bankers use their sexuality to get optimal benefits from prospective customers. It also visits the circumstances and the emotional pain they go through in fulfilling corporate targets, while addressing the stereotypical understanding from in-laws, and women whose husbands deal with female bankers in Nigeria.
Chinwe (Mbong Amata) is a female banker who is pressured professionally to use any means possible to ensure wealthy male clients open monetary accounts, irrespective of their demands. Her future father-in-law is of the opinion that all female bankers are promiscuous and wouldn't approve her marriage to his son. This leads him to sending several of his wealthy friends as potential client to try to lure her to have sexual relationships with them, to see if she will stand her ground.
Despite having a 2.5 score on Nollywood Reinvented, It was heavily criticized for lacking "originality" and being "very predictable". The film was also described as being unrealistic in some instance, however the site noted that the introduction of Seun Akindele in the latter part of the film brought some form of life to it.[3]
On talkafricanmovies, a review site that either "recommends" or "ejects" films; The Banker was "recommended", with the writer praising its "straight-to-the-point" approach. However, it felt the direction of the script was not completely in tune with reality. It also posited that the story should have been more diverse, while also praising the portrayal by Seun Akindele in the film.[4]