Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gratuitous sex, violence, drugs in criminal underground tale
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
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How I Became a Gangster
What's the Story?
In HOW I BECAME A GANGSTER, the unnamed protagonist (Marcin Kowalczyk) grows up wanting more out of life than the working-class, cab-driving existence of his father. In his late teens, he finds a way to make good money by being a pimp for several sex workers in his neighborhood. Soon, he finds himself working his way up in Warsaw's criminal underworld and becomes a powerful crime boss. He has a crew to enforce and protect his territory, including Walden (Tomasz Wlosok), a fearless fighter and loyal friend who is beginning to develop a cocaine addiction. He soon marries Magda, who doesn't suspect her husband's criminal enterprises that are bringing in so much money. Eventually, the main character meets Daniel, the true leader of the criminal underground, and as Daniel tries to bring the protagonist into the fold, Daniel's increasingly violent methods aren't sitting well with the main character, and the increasingly cocaine-addled Walden thinks that they should kill Daniel and take over his empire. The protagonist must find a way to stop Walden, gain more independence from Daniel, and try to escape this world of crime and violence before it's too late.
Is It Any Good?
This is an entertaining gangster movie, despite the feeling that this has all been done before. How I Became a Gangster has plenty of authoritative voiceovers in which the viewer is given the "real deal" about crime in the underworld -- in this case, Warsaw, Poland in the '80s, '90s, and 2000s. There's a main character who is a bit of a psychopath who also develops a fondness for cocaine. There are wives who are either too naive to know what's going on or choose to look the other way. Catchphrases. Brutal killings and humiliating torture. You could make a bingo card out of all the gangster cliches, and you'd likely win as they appear.
In spite of this, it's still an engaging movie, even if it's too long. The exposition of the voiceover balances nicely with the direct action. The dialogue is snappy and effective. The characters are likable enough in their antihero unlikability. If you can tune out all the other gangster movies that existed before this one and let it stand on its own, it's enjoyable on its own terms.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about gangster movies like How I Became a Gangster. How is this similar to and different from other movies that chronicle the rise and fall of powerful criminals?
Was the violence necessary to the story, or was it gratuitous? Why?
Were the sex scenes necessary to the story, or were they gratuitous? Why?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : January 4, 2023
- Cast : Marcin Kowalczyk , Tomasz Wlosok , Natalia Szroeder
- Director : Maciej Kawulski
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 140 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : January 28, 2023
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