Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Charming thief evades cops; violence, sex, alcohol.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Getaway King
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
THE GETAWAY KING follows Zdzislaw Najmrodzki (Dawid Ogrodnik), a famed Polish criminal who thrived at the end of the Soviet era. Smart, charming, and handsome, he was known and loved for his uncanny ability to evade the police and for his deft escapes when they did catch him. Barski (Robert Wieckiewicz), a new local cop, crashes during a high-speed chase and the oddly ethical Najmro rescues him from his burning car, only to be arrested the minute Barski comes to. By the time Najmro is ratted out by his non-too-bright sadistic crew member Antos (Jakub Gierzal) and sentenced to ten years, he's fallen in love with Tereska (Masza Wagrocka). She promises to wait for Najmro if he stays in prison and goes straight. The cop he saved becomes a friend. Antos-the-rat takes pleasure in shaking down Najmro's mother and girlfriend and giving the latter a black eye, all of which gets the loose cannon in some irreversible trouble. Despite the violence and criminality, the movie is played as light-hearted social commentary
Is It Any Good?
The first hour of The Getaway King is a conventional and forgettable story of a charismatic thief; things only get interesting when characters turn themselves around unexpectedly. A criminal goes straight. A cop leaves the force and helps someone in need. A formerly pliant crew member goes rogue, sadistic, and vengeful. The oppressive government topples in favor of freedom. All of this redeems the movie and renews our interest in the characters and their situations.
Dawid Ogrodnik is a Polish Errol Flynn, fit, handsome, suave, dashing, and smiling, resembling a cross between Leonardo DiCaprio in Catch Me If You Can and the young Ernest Hemingway. The actor's overwhelming likability fuels a story that probably wouldn't work without him.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way the movie minimizes the damage the attractive thief does. Do you think his victims felt the same about him? Why or why not?
Why do you think the public sometimes seems to love criminals?
How much do you think living in an oppressive society contributes to criminality? What does the main character argue here about that?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : May 10, 2022
- Cast : Dawid Ogrodnik , Robert Wieckiewicz , Jakub Gierszal
- Director : Mateusz Rakowicz
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : May 16, 2022
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