How I Became a Gangster

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.

This movie is surprisingly good. I didnt expect much when I pressed play. Very good actors and acting. Very good storytelling. I love the music, the roughness and honesty in the movie. The fact that it is based on true events and a true story, makes it even more interesting.

The movie is in polish language, but one get use to that very fast.

It contains a lot of violence, sex, drugs and offensive language, so one must be alright with that.

There is plenty of action, but it also contains a lot of views on what makes us humans, what brings us together and hold us tied together. What is loyalty, friendship and love.

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

Do watch it, if you're interested in a bro-manship movie, on gangsters, on ethics and human values, on history. It will make you question a lot about the humans involved in this movie and how gray area some things can be and how despite the fact that the protagonist cared about human value, ethics etc he screwed himself up in an unethical business because of the need to feel adrenaline, or become somebody to someone else, the feel to feel important.

If I didn't have to value it among other movies I would put an 8-9, but there are many great movies and the enemy of the great is the greatest.

But this movie is definitely worth your time. I won't spoil anything, I feel you don't need to know much or else it will ruin your experience. I started watching it with the feeling of "are we romanticizing gangsters now? Really?", but it's not what this movie is about.

Watch it with remorse, empathy, value for everybody's lives inside even the ones killed. That way you'll get into the head of the protagonist and the writer(s) behind this movie, start understanding that it's not about romanticizing gangsters, but about humans as a whole, as a species. Try to see the bigger picture, and this movie will feel like an unpolished gem.

A well made movie that gives not only a perspective of crime but the way that bonds with the criminals.

The story is similar to mafia-crime syndicates but it has many modern facts and interesting twists. The main character is fighting his way up to the scale using even his family and close friends to succeed it. All the other characters are unfolding the story in a parallel way with the main character. Although in the beginning they weren't any gun fights, and it seemed to be a not gun killing movie after the middle guns showed up to cleen the path to the top.

This comes to verify that extreme violence brings power.

Overall a nice movie, not expected so nice but it really keeps the pace and reaches the end with a pleasant way for all.