How I Became a Gangster

Set in the 1970s, the story follows a young man who learns that living on the edge feels more thrilling than ordinary life. He soon discovers that money and power can bend rules and corrupt loyalties. As his ambitions sharpen, a transformation unfolds and he discovers a knack for leadership in a violent underworld. With a trusted friend by his side, he starts assembling a rough crew and carving out territory, pushing into a world where fear, bravado, and measured risks collide. The pursuit of status comes with a price, and every choice threads the line between survival and ruin. Crucial alliances and rivalries form as the city tightens, but the film keeps its focus on choices rather than twists.

Directed by Maciej Kawulski and adapted from Krzysztof Gureczny's material, this Polish crime action released in 2019 offers a look at how young drive can bend rules, fuel rivalry, and pull ordinary people into a dangerous ladder of power today.

The film earned roughly 5,975,729 dollars worldwide, a solid return for a Polish genre feature that found its audience in urban thrill seekers. Its earnings reflect steady interest in crime sagas with a distinctly regional flavor, expanding slowly abroad too.

Critics note a brisk pace and a harsh look at how ordinary people slide into crime when opportunity and ego collide. The film probes loyalty versus self preservation and asks what power costs relationships and human decency. It also frames an era with period detail, music and style for viewers.

Set in the 1970s Polish cityscape, the film benefits from grounded performances by Kowalczyk and Włosok, whose chemistry drives the early alliance and later clashes. The urban visuals, smoky clubs, and hard edged soundtrack reinforce the grit of the rise. These elements give character to the era and its dangers.