Aahana Swrup
Netflix’s ‘Banger’ is a French comedy film wherein a has-been DJ finds himself recruited for a drug bust operation. Scorpex’s last hit in France’s DJ scene was well over a decade ago. As a result, his career is predictably withering away while new acts like Vestax earn the public’s admiration. However, unbeknownst to them, the latter is actually involved in some shady business with known drug dealers. Consequently, Rose Espino, an Intelligence Officer pursuing a big drug-bust operation, targets Vestax to get to his superiors. Naturally, this compels her to enlist Scorpex as her undercover agent to infiltrate the popular DJ’s social circle and mine valuable information. However, as the older artist finds himself stuck between a rock and a hard place, he can’t help but wonder if this operation will end up bringing a fateful end to his career—or life. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Banger Plot Synopsis
Some 15 years ago, Scorpex released a track that brought him incredible success as a DJ. However, now, he is barely scratching the bottom of the barrel when it comes to big gigs and events. In fact, during one show for a prominent brand, he’s treated to a bare, minimal green room, negligible set, and the sharp pain of perceived anonymity. Therefore, he resorts to a dirty trick of locking Vestax—the headlining act—in his dressing room to swoop in and save the day as his last-minute replacement. Nonetheless, his moment in the spotlight only lasts so long before he’s overshadowed by the love and enthusiasm everyone has for the younger artist. Thus, it remains evident that Scropex, known as Luis in his regular life, has hit a brick wall in his career.
For the same reason, Luis becomes the ideal candidate for Rose’s BMP operation. Rose has been tracking a known drug crime family for some time now. Their mastermind, Dricus, recently underwent an accident that forced him to get face reconstructive surgery, which has helped him vanish from her radar. Nonetheless, she has one point of connection to the man: Molotov. As it turns out, Vastex has a prominent association with Molotov, whose wedding he DJed at two years before he blew up to stardom. Thus, the authorities have been able to confirm that the criminal has been financing the young artist’s career and using him to run the crime family’s drug business.
As such, Rose needs to penetrate Vastex’s social circle—which is where Luis comes in. After cleverly cornering him outside of a record store, the officer pitches her offer for the DJ to work as her mole. Upon his reluctance, she brings out her own dirty tricks and threatens to make his tax debts a problem for him. Consequently, Luis ends up working for her. Befriending Vastex turns out to be an easy enough task. Yet, the real challenge begins when he’s roped into his illegal circles. As a result, the DJ finds himself partaking in dangerous activities like knife-throwing trivia games and nude billiards with criminals. This added danger to his life concerns him about his daughter, Toni, who is staying with him while working on her budding DJ career. Ultimately, Luis’ commitment to the operation takes precedence over his relationship with his daughter as he ends up using her demo to get a gig at a fashion event that he’s certain the elusive Dricus will attend.
Banger Ending: Who is Dricus? Does Rose Catch Him?
Dricus remains a mysterious figure from the beginning. He’s the brains of the entire Angel Rocket drug operation, making him the head target in Rose’s operation. Given his connections to the DJ scene, the officer is certain Luis’ help will be the key to cracking open the entire case. Although the older man faces some obstacles in the beginning—by identifying the wrong person as his target—he eventually begins to get the hang of things. Therefore, a lightbulb goes off in his head when he notices Molotov’s frustration over the track he wants Vestax and Scorpex to work on for VanStraat’s fashion event. The man has been incredibly opinionated about this piece of music, wanting it to be absolutely perfect.
Although Luis misses the sign at first during his session with one of Molotov’s recommended artists, Rose helps him see that the chain of command behind this track runs to the very top. Thus, another throwaway comment by Vestax makes him realize that VanStraat is an incredibly important project for Dricus, who always observes it from the shadows. According to the younger DJ, he’s never missed a show. Therefore, Luis realizes that the chance of the man being at VanStraat’s upcoming fashion event for fashion designer Tabitha Jenkins is bound to have the mastermind in attendance.
After informing Rose about the same, Luis attempts to snatch himself an invite by going directly up to Tabitha. Vestax has all but given up on creating the track for the fashion show, leaving a power vacuum that the older DJ can swoop in and occupy. Even so, none of his work appeals to the fashion designer. That is until he forays into his daughter Toni’s work and plays her demo. Even though it’s unethical, he resorts to stealing her music and passing it off as her own to win over Tabitha for the fashion show gig. In the end, this brings him to the event, where Luis makes the startling discovery that the designer’s assistant, Capitani, is actually Dricus. By donning such an inconspicuous identity, the criminal has been able to fly under the radar while also remaining in the loop about his beloved brand. Ultimately, Rose and her team—who are already undercover at the event—are able to easily catch the man and bring him to justice.
Does Toni Forgive Luis?
Even though Luis ends up completing his task as an undercover informant for Rose, the means he equips throughout the mission directly endanger his relationship with his daughter, Toni. The young girl, who is hoping to follow in her father’s footsteps as a DJ, has recently been trying to work on their relationship. However, Luis’ newfound recruitment into a dangerous mission makes him reluctant to keep her close to himself. For the same reason, he gets her out of his house and into his studio—before even that place comes on Molotov’s radar. After his own precarious experiences with the crime family, the father is worried about accidentally exposing his daughter to a savage world. For the same reason, he spills his secrets and asks her to return home to her mother.
Nonetheless, Toni refuses to believe his story about being an undercover agent and simply assumes her father wants her out of his life. This strained goodbye, paired with a reunion in which she learns that her father has basically stolen her demo to snag the gig of a lifetime, creates some expected tension between the two. After leaving her father’s studio, Toni remained in town to work at Tabitha’s fashion show as a model—something her father was unaware of. Therefore, Luis’ secret plagiarism comes out in a greatly unflattering way. Nonetheless, his daughter only has so long to remain mad at her father.
Once Luis identifies Dricus as Capitani, it doesn’t take long for Rose and her team to go after them. In the chaos that follows, Toni almost comes in the line of fire—and narrowly escapes a fatalistic injury, thanks to her father. As a result, all the misunderstandings between the father-daughter duo get resolved in a matter of minutes. Toni realizes that her father has been telling the truth all this time. Furthermore, this will also help her understand why Luis had to steal her work. In the end, the duo work through their issues and come out on the other side closer than they’ve ever been.
What Happens to Luis’ Career?
Even though Rose ends up having to resort to consistent blackmail to convince Luis to work for her, a part of her original pitch incentivizes a resurgence of his career in exchange for his help. Nonetheless, instead of a clear-cut way to the top, her plan only offers a potential for future success. If the officer’s operation goes down well, then Vestax will be dethroned from his number one spot. Yet, this doesn’t mean Luis will magically become a fan favorite again. In fact, if anything, his entire journey of trying to make a son for VanStraat proves that the current music culture has outgrown his brand of magical touch. The DJ attempts to present numerous tracks to Molotov, none of which are up to his standards.
Ultimately, Luis is only able to succeed once he uses Toni’s tracks instead of his own. Therefore, it becomes glaringly obvious that the artist’s career is well and truly in its twilight years. Scorpex records—even the rare ones—sell for a pound at record shops, and the young crowd barely recognizes him anymore. Thus, it seems it’s time for the older DJ to hang up his hat and accept the inevitability of his career’s end. Nonetheless, instead of being bitter about it, Luis gets the opportunity to extract joy even in this hard time. While his career may have more-or-less ended, his daughter’s music takes off, bagging her prominent gigs. As such, he’s able to accept his own fate and cheer on Toni from the sidelines.
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