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My unsolicited advise to those who intend to watch this movie is to watch extra the documentary about the real Polka King, Jan Lewandoski, as then there's a valid conparison to the real persona vs. Jack Black's portrayal as Jan Lewan ( americanized version of his name). Black's portrayal is funny and genuine. The suspicious mother in law is a superb character who adds spice to the Jan Lewan saga , in those days Jan might have pioneered the pyramiding scam not by evil intentions but perhaps out of wanting to satisfy every one else. There is a confrontation scène near the end between the mother in law and some alleged victims which rings true - one gets scammed because one is too greedy thus deserves it. Pay no attention to the humpahpah music but focus on the motivation of real people and what it results to, this is what this film is about.

Basically everything about this movie was about average. The acting is fine, the characters, while sort of bland, are interesting enough. The story is good, the writing is good, and so is the directing.

But there are some things that fall flat. For example, the cinematography, for the most part, was bland. Every shot lookedthe same and felt the same. However, I thought the lighting was well done. Also, some of the perfomances felt a little off. But, I do believe that Jenny Slate and, especially, Jack Black were able to carry the film and make it more fun to watch. Although this movie is listed as a comedy, there really is little comedy to be found. It's not that the movie is necessarily unfunny, it's just that there are no jokes or humorous situations. I did find myself smiling sometimes, not because it was funny, but because there are some fun or satisfying moments in the movie.

For every negative this movie has, there is a positive that slightly evens it out. While it does leave some to be desired, this film is pretty solid and enjoyable. If you are thinking about seeing this movie, I would recommend it. Just don't go in with too high of expectations.

Surprisingly funny and warm-hearted tale about a guy who basically steals 5 million dollars from pensioners and fakes a whole life for himself with it.

1/29/18. Jack Black seems to have a knack for playing real life creeps, like Bernie Tiede in Bernie, the undertaker who embezzled $3 million from a wealthy widow after killing her. In this movie, Black plays the con artist, Jan Lewan, a Polka entertainer who pulled a Bernie Madoff on his many unsuspecting fans. Lewan sucked millions from people who were entranced by his ebullient personality. Black did a great job with this role.

The Movie "The Polka King" is based on the life of Jan Lewan, a Polish immigrant who came to the United States, settled in Northeastern Pennsylvania and continued his polka career, and eventually running a Ponzi Scheme. I'm not entirely sure how many of the facts of the man's life were embellished for the story, or if it can truly be considered a bio-pic. It is, none the less, entertaining due to Jack Black portraying Jan.

Because "School of Rock" showcased Black actually having some musical talent, I was surprised to see that he played, quite competently at that, the leader and singer of a polka band, a vastly different style than what he showcased in School of Rock. I don't know how much of a stretch it was for him, as a musician or an actor to pull it off, but in watching this he came across as a legitimate polka band leader, not as someone trying to portray one. He clearly brought some energy to the role, and seemingly getting the approval of Jan Lewan himself.

If you're a fan of Jack Black, or a fan of polka, or both, it's worth your time. It's not great cinema by any means, but I think it showcases that Black is versatile, and that's not a bad thing.

"The Polka King" starring Jack Black, Jason Schwartzman, and Jenny Slate has the kind of story I'd like to see tackled by the Coen Brothers. It's the true story of Jan Lewan, a polka bandmaster, who devises a Ponzi scheme that lands him in trouble.

Jack Black is terrific, but unfortunately, the film's aim was more comedy than black comedy, so his characterization could never be fleshed out. He was hilarious, but Jan Lewan stole money from real people. It would have been great to see more of both sides.

It's definitely worth seeing for Black and all the polka stuff, but make sure you watch through the credits for not only updates but a look at the real Jan Lewan, an immigrant who knows the true meaning of survival.

I always have good intentions of going to the movies on Friday night. Inevitably fatigue from the workweek gets the best of me and I end of staying in. Polka King was my stay-at-home Friday night movie choice and I enjoyed it. Some reviews pan this movie as boring and terrible. This is a decent, entertaining movie. I knew about this story because years ago I saw the documentary, The Man Who Would Be Polka King.

I have always like Jack Black, especially his performances in Bernie and Margot at the Wedding. Maybe Black didn't exactly pin down the Polish accent perfectly but I believe the essence of Jan Lewan came across. Maybe Jack Black isn't the perfect choice to play for this particular part, but he can sing and has good comedic timing. Jason Schwarman, Jenny Slate, and Jacki Weaver were also entertaining and believable when you compare the documentary (The Man Who Would Be Polka King) to this film. I especially appreciated Jacki Weaver's comedic and frustrated performance. There were plenty of funny parts -- I got a kick every time Black's character said Bitsy Bear.

Definitely give this movie a chance if you are in the mood for a decent, entertaining movie. If you have time on your hands, it's fun to watch the documentary after.

I had noticed that this was on Netflix when I came across the actual documentary about Jan Lewan (also on Netflix.) Its called 'The Man Who Would Be Polka King,' complete with actual footage and interviews with many of his true victims, and some of the actual escapades depicted are far more absurd than anything pictured in The Polka King.

The movie was not that bad, but the knowledge of the actual events makes it kinda blah.

I've always enjoyed watching films with Jack Black as the leading man, but his career has been pretty hit or miss in terms of good and bad content. Recently with Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, he's been having a solid year, but I've been waiting for his classic performances to return. Not since films like High Fidelity, Shallow Hal, or School of Rock have I truly found myself loving him. That being said, I loved how he was committed to his role in the recent rendition of Jumanji and The Polka King only continues his recent devotion to acting. This is a film that completely came under the radar for me, but it's a pretty solid surprise. Now streaming on Netflix everywhere, here's why I think you should check out The Polka King.

Exploring the craziness that ensued when one man wanted to create a so-called "Empire," The Polka King follows Jan Lewan as he does his best to find investors for his company, in order to tour the world, making tons of money. The only issues are that his touring hardly have him breaking even, while his investors continue to invest money, having him owing millions of dollars and spiraling out of control. More than anything, this was simply a fascinating watch, especially when having the knowledge that it's a true story. Polka itself isn't very interesting to me in terms of art mediums, but there was something about this film that hooked me from beginning to end.

From humor to drama, The Polka King has it all. When Lewan is down on his luck, he enjoys finding the best in every situation and that makes for quite a few hilarious scenarios and I found myself audibly laughing on multiple occasions here. Jack Black, as I mentioned already, is a fantastic talent in term of comedy and he doesn't disappoint here. Jenny Slate as Lewan's wife is terrific as well and they share a strange chemistry that I was sort of surprised by. On top of these two great performances, I found myself loving Jason Schwartzman's contribution to this film as well, and I haven't really been blown away by any of his work in the past, so that's saying something from me.

I may be slightly biased when giving my recommendation here because I'm the type of person who loves the meshing of multiple genres. When Comedies and Dramas are mixed together to make films like off-beat movies like 50/50 or Safety Not Guaranteed (just to name a couple), I feel that it's more relatable. Not everything in the world is dour and depressing and not everything is cheerful, so a nice blend of the two is always what draws me in more. The Polka King does a great job at making you laugh, but you also feel terrible for this guy, who steals everyone's money, but his heart's always in the right place.

In the end, this is one of the better films to be released on Netflix in a while and I recommend it to those who're looking for a quick watch. At a breezy 90 minutes, this movie gives you comedy, drama, life lessons, and hope. There's not much more you could ask for from a movie like this. The one downside is that you can sort of predict where the film's going, even if you're unaware of the true story. It's the type of movie that's very solid and worth a watch, but won't ever be up for awards or even remembered for that matter. That's a shame because it's a nice little comedy that I believe deserves some attention.

The Polka King was a solid, enjoyable film. The cast was great and was very funny at times. Jack Black did a exceptional job in this film and carried it to being a good film. The only trouble I found was the dynamics within the story. There were moments I was plugged in, and moments that felt dry. Other than that, I felt invested in the story and had a good time with it! A good film to watch if your schedule is free.

Firstly, this movie has some great credentials. Experienced writers who know what they are doing. But these same writers also directed and that's where this thing falls flat.

Jack Black, while not a favourite of mine, is usually so on point with his comedy that it even makes me laugh. Jenny Slate is bland as Marla and Jason Schwartzman is so beige in his performance that he might as well be invisible.

The lines were delivered without much emotion or finesse, which is strange and unexpected from these talented folks. The lip synching to the songs was so off, you could tell it was Black's voice but his lips were slightly ahead or behind on the songs.

This was flat. Flat as a pancake.

If I could give it no stars, I would. Avoid this movie and tell Netflix to get better material.

Oh, and John Candy and Eugene Levy did this schtick years ago on SCTV and it was hysterical and funny. They will always be the Polka Kings to me. This movie was an insult to their comedy.

This film tells the story of a Polish Polka music singer, who makes a fortune by setting up a Ponzi scheme that targets the elderly.

I thought it would be a comedy, but only after a few minutes in I already found out it was not funny at all. The story is not so engaging because the background stories of the investors are not explained, and hence I feel little for them. The characters in the film are not very likable either. Unfortunately, I did not like this film as I imagined I would.

This movie was ok. I thought jack black was great in it. It's one of those "true story's" that I'm watching and thinking how real is this? There's alot worse films you can waste 1:30 watching so I'd recommend it if your bored one night with nothing to watch.

Before watching this film, I watched the documentary on what it's based. If you want to actually know the true story of Jan Lewan, watch that documentary. If you want to have a fun, basic movie experience- watch this one. It's clear that this film is very far from relating to the actual events that occurred in Pennsylvania, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the twisting of the facts drastically change the viewers impression of who Lewan is. The Polka King is a film that can't decide what it is- is it a full out outlandish comedy, or an actual biopic? Some moments come off as truthful and sincere, which contradict other moments that are a bit too over the top and break the overall feeling of the film. We see that primarily in the portrayal of Barb (Jacki Weaver), a character that is clear and distinct but feels as if she belongs in an SNL sketch, alongside characters (such as Jack Black's portrayal of Jan Lewan) that are clearly meant to be more realistic. The performances in this movie that range from solid- Jack Black, as always, is giving his all and is fun to watch, to just not great and out of place- J.B. Smooth just doesn't make sense here. Overall, this is a TV movie. It's not a higher piece of art or anything like that, but if you're looking for something to just watch for the evening, this movie is perfectly suitable. 6.0/10

Knowing the real people, the real town, this movie falls flat on its face. It gives a ridiculous portrait of Lewan as naive and kind and generous instead of the calculating criminal he became in fleecing old people of their life savings. The mother in law is way too over the top in your face. The wife is virtually a non entity. It is a boring, awfully acted, awfully produced picture that used a Rhode Island location instead of the more realistic Pennsylvania. Thankfully its not in the actual movies where one would have to buy a ticket.

This film may look cheesy and full of silly characters however it's plot and key events weave together a film worth watching. Jack Black does a decent job in playing the foreign polka dancer.

One can say this film even has echoes of Goodfellas or The Wolf of Wall Street due to its similarities and the rise and fall of the main character. It does have the main character show many moments of weakness and cheat on his wife and family. It is unique in that the community that suffer are the elderly. Who knows perhaps with a little rewriting, directing and voice overs and a classic soundtrack this could have been a masterpiece.

Nevertheless it doesn't take itself too seriously hence the funny characters and ridiculous dialogue.

7/10

2 extra stars since so few other movies out there right now seem to think they need a plot, characters you care about, and try to keep it under an hour and a half. This movie has all of that.

It's warm, sweet, it moves right along, it stays engaging, and there's polka music!

BTW if you enjoyed this movie you will also like Bernie which also stars Jack Black, is also a biopic, and also has a plot with characters you care about.