How I Became a Gangster

2019 [POLISH]

Action / Crime / Drama

4
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 86% · 4 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 86% · 50 ratings
IMDb Rating 6.9/10 10 5564 5.6K

polish mafia

Plot summary

The action of the film begins in the 1970s – even then, the young protagonist knows that adrenaline tastes better than powdered milk. Over time, he also discovers a desire for money, power, and being above the law. A transformation begins, and his gangster talent blossoms. Together with a friend, they build their own army.

Director

Maciej Kawulski Photo
Maciej Kawulski

Top cast

Mateusz Nedza Photo
Mateusz Nedza as 'Krater'
Anna Karczmarczyk Photo
Anna Karczmarczyk as Zosia
Marcin Kowalczyk Photo
Marcin Kowalczyk as Gangster
Anna Krotoska Photo
Anna Krotoska as Mother
720p.WEB 1080p.WEB
1.25 GB
1280*536
Polish 2.0
NR
Subtitles tr   us  
24 fps
2 hr 19 min
Seeds 1
2.57 GB
1920*804
Polish 5.1
NR
Subtitles tr   us  
24 fps
2 hr 19 min
Seeds 5

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by JackHodges-13503 6 / 10

Vodka, Violence, and the Polish Code

How I Became a Gangster (2020) is a bruising, stylish dive into the underworld of Poland's criminal elite, trading Hollywood gloss for Warsaw grit. It's not just another rags-to-riches crime saga, it's a study in obsession, loyalty, and the raw hunger that fuels the Polish mafia's rise. The film pulses with unflinching realism, drawing you deep into a world where charm is as lethal as a bullet. The narration feels confessional, almost conspiratorial, turning the viewer into an accomplice. Director Maciej Kawulski sidesteps cliché, crafting a character-driven story that never glamorizes its violence but lingers in its aftermath. The gangland hierarchy is depicted like a chessboard soaked in vodka and blood, where one wrong move means checkmate. This is Eastern European noir at its most captivating, it's icy, intense, and undeniably magnetic. For fans of gangster cinema craving something authentic, this is a brutal breath of Slavic air.
Reviewed by hughbo 6 / 10

Stuff like this happens, crime may not pay

Long movie, but it did hold your interest. There were several twists that made you question your perspective for the story line. Expect to see the criminal lifestyle. No doubt this kind of stuff goes on and for the lower level criminals it is likely certain that life is the profoundly lived without certainty. For the foreign movies I've seen this one follows through with the same dinginess. One might think that after the destruction of Poland after WWII there would places in less shambles. The film did depict some housing that was quite nice, the starkness made one question if the difference was that great. Don't think I'd want to watch it again, but the first time through wasn't bad.
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