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How I Became a Gangster

Original title: Jak zostalem gangsterem. Historia prawdziwa
  • 2019
  • Not Rated
  • 2h 20m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
5.4K
YOUR RATING
How I Became a Gangster (2019)
Watch Trailer [OV]
Play trailer2:31
1 Video
18 Photos
CrimeDrama

A polish gangster discovers the senselessness of his life.A polish gangster discovers the senselessness of his life.A polish gangster discovers the senselessness of his life.

  • Director
    • Maciej Kawulski
  • Writer
    • Krzysztof Gureczny
  • Stars
    • Marcin Kowalczyk
    • Tomasz Wlosok
    • Natalia Szroeder
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.9/10
    5.4K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Maciej Kawulski
    • Writer
      • Krzysztof Gureczny
    • Stars
      • Marcin Kowalczyk
      • Tomasz Wlosok
      • Natalia Szroeder
    • 12User reviews
    • 8Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 2 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer [OV]
    Trailer 2:31
    Trailer [OV]

    Photos18

    View Poster
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    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 13
    View Poster

    Top cast99+

    Edit
    Marcin Kowalczyk
    Marcin Kowalczyk
    • Protagonist
    Tomasz Wlosok
    Tomasz Wlosok
    • Walden
    Natalia Szroeder
    Natalia Szroeder
    • Magda
    Natalia Siwiec
    Natalia Siwiec
    • Viola
    Jan Frycz
    Jan Frycz
    • Daniel
    Adam Woronowicz
    Adam Woronowicz
    • Protagonist's Father
    Adam Bobik
    Adam Bobik
    • Lomek
    Piotr Rogucki
    Piotr Rogucki
    • Marian
    Janusz Chabior
    Janusz Chabior
    • Magi
    Józef Pawlowski
    Józef Pawlowski
    • Tysiek
    Marek Dyjak
    Marek Dyjak
    • Bielawski
    Waldemar Kasta
    • Golum
    Mateusz Nedza
    • Krater
    Michal Zakrzewski
    • Lom
    Maciej Luczkowski
    • Mariuszek
    Anna Krotoska
    • Protagonist's Mother
    Michal Balicki
    Michal Balicki
    • Nowy
    Winicjusz Bartków
    • Ziomas
    • (as Wini-Winicjusz Bartków)
    • Director
      • Maciej Kawulski
    • Writer
      • Krzysztof Gureczny
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews12

    6.95.3K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    8artur-niedzielski

    At least one good polish gansta movie with a real story.

    And not directed by pathetic moron Vega. Nice story with a twist.
    6hughbo

    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.
    9marb-97222

    Well worth watching

    Atmospheric, well balanced and worthwhile. And, not the traditional 'violence and gangsta glorification' movie as we all know a bit too well from titles as & like Pulp Fiction.

    We're being told the story of a Polish gangster, first hand. He takes us with him through his very first criminal steps during childhood, when communist Poland was part of the Warschau-pact, up to when he's become a seasoned capo in the 2000's.

    Although it is obviously a movie and as usual scenes are therefore a bit romanticised every now and then, the entirety of this movie feels believable. Once it gets really started, the life of the main character enfolds and captivates the viewer. With realistic character development and a great music selection to add to the atmosphere, this movie progresses from a somewhat shallow story at first sight into a really captivating tale. Very well done.

    A little gem afaic.
    10shieldhater

    Best Polish Film I've Seen

    This Mafia Film is amazing! It has such a good soundtrack and I've watched it several times aswell! Would highly recommend this to anyone that likes action. It's quite funny too I was at the edge of my seat laughing when I heard wonda asking for a taxi driver to take him to women 😂😂. This film is also quite good if you want to practice learning polish as an English speaker. It's quite good for a 2020 film set in the past as it gives you a sense of polish mafia which nobody really knows about. This film is also based on a true story and you never get to know the main characters name at the end.
    2szpancogito

    Worse than a waste of time. Hurts to watch.

    This film is a copy of many others in this genre: first person narrator, crushing amounts of filthy language, slow motion shots, Pulp Fiction-style supposedly funny dialogues between thugs, glamorization of banditry, etc. It portrays a group of individuals with whom it is impossible to sympathize, who do foolish things and use disgusting idiom. I suppose it would hurt less to watch if they didn't use my native language Polish. But they do. This makes it unbearable. The sad thing is that young impressionable youths, who are the typical audience of such productions, easily pick up the same linguistic habits and outlook on life, which turn them into the same class of cultural and moral cripples as the characters of this sorry attempt at film-making.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Natalia Siwiec's debut.
    • Quotes

      Gangster: [after a bloody fight with three Arabs] You were great. It was a pleasure doing business with you. Whatever they say about you, to me you're like brothers.

    • Soundtracks
      Kiedy bylem malym chlopcem
      Music by Tadeusz Nalepa

      Lyrics by Bogdan Loebl

      Performed by Breakout

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    FAQ15

    • How long is How I Became a Gangster?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 4, 2023 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Poland
    • Language
      • Polish
    • Also known as
      • How I Became a Gangster. True Story
    • Filming locations
      • Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland
    • Production companies
      • Open Mind Production
      • Next Film
      • Moderator Inwestycje
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $5,975,729
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      • 2h 20m(140 min)
    • Color
      • Color

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