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* AndThereWasMuchRejoicing: After Jan is shivved in jail by his psychotic cellmate, two of the people he scammed approach Barb and mention this to her with glee, even saying that it's a shame that the man didn't finished the job. Barb, who wasn't exactly sad to see him get arrested herself, [[EveryoneHasStandards gets pissed off at the news instead]] -- after all, they are being happy at a member of '''her'' family being almost killed.
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* AndThereWasMuchRejoicing: After Jan is shivved in jail by his psychotic cellmate, two of the people he scammed approach Barb and mention this to her with glee, even saying that it's a shame that the man didn't finished the job. Barb, who wasn't exactly sad to see him get arrested herself, [[EveryoneHasStandards gets pissed off at the news instead]] -- after all, they are being happy at a member of '''her'' ''her'' family being almost killed.
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''The Polka King'' is a BasedOnATrueStory [[BioPic biographical]] comedy starring Creator/JackBlack as Jan Lewan, a [[ImmigrantPatriotism proud Polish-American]] [[PolkaDork polka band leader]] who was arrested in 2004 for running a PonziScheme. It also features Creator/JennySlate as Jan's wife Marla and Creator/JasonSchwartzman as the band's lead clarinetist.
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''The Polka King'' is a 2017 film directed by Maya Forbes.
It is a BasedOnATrueStory [[BioPic biographical]] comedy starring Creator/JackBlack as Jan Lewan, a [[ImmigrantPatriotism proud Polish-American]] [[PolkaDork polka band leader]] who was arrested in 2004 for running aPonziScheme.Ponzi scheme. It also features Creator/JennySlate as Jan's wife Marla and Creator/JasonSchwartzman as the band's lead clarinetist.
It is a BasedOnATrueStory [[BioPic biographical]] comedy starring Creator/JackBlack as Jan Lewan, a [[ImmigrantPatriotism proud Polish-American]] [[PolkaDork polka band leader]] who was arrested in 2004 for running a
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* DistantFinale: The ending skips forward five years to show sadder-but-wiser Jan being released from jail after his five-year sentence, and reconciling with Mickey.
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* RealPersonEpilogue: The credits roll over a series of pictures of the real Jan Lewan, titles explaining how he hopes to pay back the over $4 million he stole, and finally some stock footage of the real Lewan performing his awful "Rappin' Polka".
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* HospitalGurneyScene: Jan is rushed off on a gurney after he's stabbed in the neck by his psycho roommate.
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* MinorCrimeRevealsMajorPlot: It's Jan bribing the scorekeeper for the silly Mrs. Pennsylvania Pageant that his wife competes in, which, after it embarrasses him publicly and causes his investors to start pulling out, torpedoes his multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme.
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* EntertaininglyWrong: Barb, Jan's harpy of a mother-in-law, observes that Jan is acting squirrelly, decides that he's up to something, and concludes that he's having an affair.
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* EntertaininglyWrong: Barb, Jan's harpy of a mother-in-law, observes that Jan is acting squirrelly, decides that he's up to something, and concludes that he's having an affair. Later, she observes his mysterious cash flows and how he somehow pays a whole band on concerts that don't net more than $1500 a night, and concludes that he's a drug dealer.
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* BriefcaseFullOfMoney: How Jan carries the money he uses to bribe his way into an audience with the Pope.
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* OverlyNervousFlopSweat: Mickey is ''drenched'' with sweat during the escapade of bringing a BriefcaseFullOfMoney to bribe an official for an audience with the Pope. The sweat has soaked through his suit and sport coat, and Pope John Paul II declines to do the traditional laying on of hands.
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* EntertaininglyWrong: Barb, Jan's harpy of a mother-in-law, observes that Jan is acting squirrelly, decides that he's up to something, and concludes that he's having an affair.
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* PonziScheme: Jan gets the bright idea to raise money via "investments" from his adoring fans. Unfortunately, the band and his other businesses aren't bringing in enough money to repay the investments plus the interest rates he's offering - but as long as he keeps getting new investors and people don't all decide to cash out at the same time, it works.
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* PonziScheme: {{Ponzi}}: Jan gets the bright idea to raise money via "investments" from his adoring fans. Unfortunately, the band and his other businesses aren't bringing in enough money to repay the investments plus the interest rates he's offering - but as long as he keeps getting new investors and people don't all decide to cash out at the same time, it works.
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** Barb spends most of the film being a bitter, suspicious harpy to Jan, but when she's told that he almost got killed in prison, she doesn't enjoys it ''at all'' (because Jan is still a member of her family) and even gets enraged at the people who approached her to give her this information, who ''are'' gleeful about it.
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** Barb spends most of the film being a bitter, suspicious harpy to Jan, but when she's told that he almost got killed in prison, she doesn't enjoys it ''at all'' (because Jan is still a member of her family) and even gets enraged at the people who approached her to give her this information, who ''are'' gleeful about it.it.
* VertigoEffect: Used in the scene where Jan straight-up lies to the guy from the Pennsylvania SEC and reports that he is out of the investment business.
* VertigoEffect: Used in the scene where Jan straight-up lies to the guy from the Pennsylvania SEC and reports that he is out of the investment business.
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* TheCharmer: Jan, which works to his advantage as both a performer and semi-inadvertent con artist. (Until [[RealityEnsues it doesn't]].)
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* TheCharmer: Jan, which works to his advantage as both a performer and semi-inadvertent con artist. (Until [[RealityEnsues it doesn't]].doesn't.)
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* RealityEnsues:
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* RealityEnsues:SensualSlavs: Jan isn't a conventional example (although he is very charismatic in his own way), but Marla mentions finding his Polish accent exotically attractive.
* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome :
* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome :
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** Barb spends most of the film being a bitter, suspicious harpy to Jan, but when she's told that he almost got killed in prison, she doesn't enjoys it ''at all'' (because Jan is still a member of her family) and even gets enraged at the people who approached her to give her this information, who ''are'' gleeful about it.
* SensualSlavs: Jan isn't a conventional example (although he is very charismatic in his own way), but Marla mentions finding his Polish accent exotically attractive.
* SensualSlavs: Jan isn't a conventional example (although he is very charismatic in his own way), but Marla mentions finding his Polish accent exotically attractive.
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** Barb spends most of the film being a bitter, suspicious harpy to Jan, but when she's told that he almost got killed in prison, she doesn't enjoys it ''at all'' (because Jan is still a member of her family) and even gets enraged at the people who approached her to give her this information, who ''are'' gleeful about it.
* SensualSlavs: Jan isn't a conventional example (although he is very charismatic in his own way), but Marla mentions finding his Polish accent exotically attractive.it.
* SensualSlavs: Jan isn't a conventional example (although he is very charismatic in his own way), but Marla mentions finding his Polish accent exotically attractive.
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* BeautyContest: Marla is a former local pageant queen, who enters the Mrs. Pennsylvania pageant when Jan's rising celebrity makes her [[WhiteDwarfStarlet miss the limelight]].
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** Barb spends most of the film being a bitter, suspicious harpy to Jan, but when she's told that he almost got killed in prison, she doesn't enjoys it ''at all'' (because Jan is still a member of her family) and even gets enraged at the people who approached her to give her this information, who ''are'' gleeful about it.
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** Barb spends most of the film being a bitter, suspicious harpy to Jan, but when she's told that he almost got killed in prison, she doesn't enjoys it ''at all'' (because Jan is still a member of her family) and even gets enraged at the people who approached her to give her this information, who ''are'' gleeful about it.it.
* SensualSlavs: Jan isn't a conventional example (although he is very charismatic in his own way), but Marla mentions finding his Polish accent exotically attractive.
* SensualSlavs: Jan isn't a conventional example (although he is very charismatic in his own way), but Marla mentions finding his Polish accent exotically attractive.
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* {{Deconstruction}}: Of "fake it 'til you make it" optimism and the UsefulNotes/AmericanDream.
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* {{Deconstruction}}: Of "fake it 'til you make it" optimism and the UsefulNotes/AmericanDream.UsefulNotes/TheAmericanDream.
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* {{Deconstruction}}: Of "fake it 'til you make it" optimism.
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* {{Deconstruction}}: Of "fake it 'til you make it" optimism.optimism and the UsefulNotes/AmericanDream.
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** Marla Lewan spends most of the film being a bitter, suspicious harpy to Jan, but when she's told that he almost got killed in prison, she doesn't enjoys it ''at all'' (because Jan is still a member of her family) and even gets enraged at the people who approached her to give her this information, who ''are'' gleeful about it.
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** Marla Lewan Barb spends most of the film being a bitter, suspicious harpy to Jan, but when she's told that he almost got killed in prison, she doesn't enjoys it ''at all'' (because Jan is still a member of her family) and even gets enraged at the people who approached her to give her this information, who ''are'' gleeful about it.
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* PonziScheme: Jan gets the bright idea to raise money via "investments" from his adoring fans. Unfortunately, the band and his other businesses aren't bringing in enough money to repay the investments plus the interest rates he's offering - but as long as he keeps getting new investors and people don't all decide to cash out at the same time, it works.
to:
* PonziScheme: Jan gets the bright idea to raise money via "investments" from his adoring fans. Unfortunately, the band and his other businesses aren't bringing in enough money to repay the investments plus the interest rates he's offering - but as long as he keeps getting new investors and people don't all decide to cash out at the same time, it works.works.
* RealityEnsues:
** Like many other {{Ponzi}} scheme conmen, Jan's downfall happens when he just can't get any more people to provide funding and a few of them want out and he can't give them back the money.
** Marla Lewan spends most of the film being a bitter, suspicious harpy to Jan, but when she's told that he almost got killed in prison, she doesn't enjoys it ''at all'' (because Jan is still a member of her family) and even gets enraged at the people who approached her to give her this information, who ''are'' gleeful about it.
* RealityEnsues:
** Like many other {{Ponzi}} scheme conmen, Jan's downfall happens when he just can't get any more people to provide funding and a few of them want out and he can't give them back the money.
** Marla Lewan spends most of the film being a bitter, suspicious harpy to Jan, but when she's told that he almost got killed in prison, she doesn't enjoys it ''at all'' (because Jan is still a member of her family) and even gets enraged at the people who approached her to give her this information, who ''are'' gleeful about it.
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* AndTheAudienceRejoiced: After Jan is shivved in jail by his psychotic cellmate, two of the people he scammed approach Barb and mention this to her with glee, even saying that it's a shame that the man didn't finished the job. Barb, who wasn't exactly sad to see him get arrested herself, [[EveryoneHasStandards gets pissed off at the news instead]].
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* AndTheAudienceRejoiced: AndThereWasMuchRejoicing: After Jan is shivved in jail by his psychotic cellmate, two of the people he scammed approach Barb and mention this to her with glee, even saying that it's a shame that the man didn't finished the job. Barb, who wasn't exactly sad to see him get arrested herself, [[EveryoneHasStandards gets pissed off at the news instead]].instead]] -- after all, they are being happy at a member of '''her'' family being almost killed.
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* AloneWithThePsycho: After Jan is sentenced to jail, the inmate he's given as a cellmate is a very silent and determined bully that shivs Jan in the neck in the middle of the night for no apparent reason, nearly killing him. Jan is given a cell for himself after he comes out of the hospital.
* AndTheAudienceRejoiced: After Jan is shivved in jail by his psychotic cellmate, two of the people he scammed approach Barb and mention this to her with glee, even saying that it's a shame that the man didn't finished the job. Barb, who wasn't exactly sad to see him get arrested herself, [[EveryoneHasStandards gets pissed off at the news instead]].
* AndTheAudienceRejoiced: After Jan is shivved in jail by his psychotic cellmate, two of the people he scammed approach Barb and mention this to her with glee, even saying that it's a shame that the man didn't finished the job. Barb, who wasn't exactly sad to see him get arrested herself, [[EveryoneHasStandards gets pissed off at the news instead]].
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* PolkaDork: Inverted. Jan is a local celebrity because of how many people like Polka and the only character who labels him one is [[ObnoxiousInLaws Barb]]. It provides a tragic juxtaposition to how much Jan is overreaching with his ambitions.
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aversion is non-use; not notable enough to trope
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* PolkaDork: Averted. Although Jan has some {{Adorkable}} qualities, polka is a popular genre within the milieu of the film and nobody is made fun of for liking it.
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* EveryoneHasStandards: Barb [[ObnoxiousInLaws may dislike her son-in-law Jan]] and spends most of her screen time suspicious of him, but when two of the investors arrive after Jan is put in jail, gleeful that Jan got shivved in the neck by his crazy cellmate and say that it's a shame the guy didn't finished the job, Barb rages at them and splatters eggs all over their car while yelling that it's their fault this happened as well by giving Jan the money, which Jan takes as her defending him.
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* ObnoxiousInLaws: Marla Lewan's mother Barb is constantly ragging on the rest of the family and really has it in for Jan and his ambitions and constantly questions his financial activities. In context, she is right and even sympathetic, [[JerkassHasAPoint but she still comes off pretty brusque]].
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* TheCharmer: Jan, which works to his advantage as both a performer and semi-inadvertent con artist. (Until [[RealityEnsues it doesn't]].)
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* PolkaDork: Averted. Although Jan has some {{Adorkable}} qualities, polka is a popular genre within the milieu of the film and nobody is made fun of for liking it.
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* AntiVillain: Jan is, technically, committing financial fraud on a multimillion-dollar scale, but he's utterly nonmalicious and has many sympathetic qualities.
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* AntiVillain: Jan is, is a charming, friendly guy who works hard and loves his family dearly. He is also, technically, committing financial fraud on a multimillion-dollar scale, but he's utterly nonmalicious and has many sympathetic qualities.scale.
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* ChristianityIsCatholic: Justified in that the major characters are Polish-Americans.
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* PonziScheme
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* PonziSchemePonziScheme: Jan gets the bright idea to raise money via "investments" from his adoring fans. Unfortunately, the band and his other businesses aren't bringing in enough money to repay the investments plus the interest rates he's offering - but as long as he keeps getting new investors and people don't all decide to cash out at the same time, it works.
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''The Polka King'' is a BasedOnATrueStory [[BioPic biographical]] comedy starring Creator/JackBlack as Jan Lewan, a [[ImmigrantPatriotism proud Polish-American]] [[PolkaDork polka band leader]] who was arrested in 2004 for running a PonziScheme. It also features Creator/JennySlate as Jan's wife Marla and Creator/JasonSchwartzman as the band's lead clarinetist.
''The Polka King'' was first shown at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, and then released on Netflix in January of 2018.
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!!Tropes associated with this work:
* AntiVillain: Jan is, technically, committing financial fraud on a multimillion-dollar scale, but he's utterly nonmalicious and has many sympathetic qualities.
* BenevolentBoss: Jan is very friendly and encouraging to the members of his band.
* {{Deconstruction}}: Of "fake it 'til you make it" optimism.
* EverythingsBetterWithSparkles: Jan's sequined bandleader outfits.
* FirstLawOfTragicomedies: Starts light-hearted, but the humor goes down when consequences start to kick in.
* ImmigrantPatriotism: Jan believes and practices it, and even gets a musical number to that effect.
* PonziScheme
''The Polka King'' was first shown at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, and then released on Netflix in January of 2018.
----
!!Tropes associated with this work:
* AntiVillain: Jan is, technically, committing financial fraud on a multimillion-dollar scale, but he's utterly nonmalicious and has many sympathetic qualities.
* BenevolentBoss: Jan is very friendly and encouraging to the members of his band.
* {{Deconstruction}}: Of "fake it 'til you make it" optimism.
* EverythingsBetterWithSparkles: Jan's sequined bandleader outfits.
* FirstLawOfTragicomedies: Starts light-hearted, but the humor goes down when consequences start to kick in.
* ImmigrantPatriotism: Jan believes and practices it, and even gets a musical number to that effect.
* PonziScheme
