El atraco

Surprisingly well written dialogues, substantly inspired by "Psy", in this film which is a creative interpretation of a real-life bank robbery during the political changes in Poland in the 90s.

You will find many reviews criticising the fakeness of the case, but if you approach Napad/Justice the way the filmmakers want you will get a really entertaining police thriller with a body count like in the good Midsomer Murders, a grim old secret communist policeman in the lead, suspense that comes out of absolutely nowhere, a not particularly sensible investigation, but for all that very pleasantly acted (even the child actors!), with really good dialogue and great sets and costumes (I give a seal of approval as someone who remembers the 90s from my childhood and teenage years).

Basically, it was clearly an attempt to create a typical American thriller from a streaming service, only set in Polish early capitalism reality. And in this category I have no hesitation in recommending it.

A particularly brutal bank robbery takes place in Warsaw. So bad that the planned bank merger in the now democratic Poland of 1995 could be at risk. A long-retired police officer from the former secret police named Tadeusz Gadacz (Olaf LUBASZENKO) is suddenly reactivated. His ultra-brutal methods from his communist past could now be useful again. Gadacz is to support the young inspector Aleksandra Janicka (Wiktoria GORODECKA) in her investigations. It quickly becomes clear that the young Kacper Surmiak (Jedrzej HYCNAR) and his two friends Marek (Stanislaw LINOWSKI) and Bartek (Lukasz SZCZEPANOWSKI) could have something to do with the bloody robbery. But in Poland after the fall of the Berlin Wall, a policeman like Gadacz can no longer torture the truth out of them...

The global streaming provider NETFLIX has added a very exciting crime film by Michel GAZDA to its program. It tells very emphatically about the trials and tribulations of the post-reunification period in the former communist Poland. In terms of structure, it is of course very reminiscent of the Spanish crime classic LA ISLA MINIMA from 2014, but is so haunting, moving and unique that watching this heist movie in the guise of a dark social portrait is definitely worth it! The Polish film industry has repeatedly proven in recent years what great genre stories can be discovered there.

Spoilers:

Well made bank heist movie, plot is decent was based on the Wolow bank robbery but largely fictional, the only real event being just the robbery. The setup was realistic and acting were convincing, plot is classical cops chasing robbers wit competition which is enjoyable with good twists and intensity. For the part were the reviewers were having issues can be explained by the detective being confidence enough and wanted to pin all of them to their crimes instead of just an attempted murder by one. The ending is a bit of a letdown as the weapon is a weak connection since they were wearing gloves at the robbery and there's no proof that they stole it, which needs a better explanation and drama to be more satisfying. Nevertheless it's a recommended movie that had surpassed my expectations.

Don't listen to the bad reviews and please give it a chance. Slow burn, good character development and motivation. The acting was very good as well that even through subtitles was able convey the character's emotions. Loved the Nolan-esque score that helps set the serious tone of the film, but of course at a much smaller scale.

Bad reviews have got to be based on the lack of spectacle that everyone sees to expect nowadays. Thanks for that MCU! No CGI, no super cops or boss girls, just a good and solid detective story. I cannot recommend it enough and I really hope more movies like this get put on the streaming platforms.

It's a decent crime/thriller filmed in a minimalistic style, focusing on human emotions and expressions rather than on special effects and fast-paced action. If you like that type of movie, it's worthwhile to watch. The acting is excellent, especially the main cop. Tadeusz Gadacz is portrayed as a highly-skilled investigator with a murky past, and the plot weaves in political elements, such as the privatization of large banks, adding layers of tension. This movie truly shines if you are Polish, or maybe you understand Poland's political and social context in the 90s, where the film is set, and subtle jokes or references are made. That's how you'd make most of this movie, I'd say. Then it's 8/10 for sure.

The prologue explains that the movie is partially based on factual events, which show throughout the film.