Jack Black, Jason Schwartzman, and Jenny Slate (Image © Netflix)
THE POLKA KING: C
The Polka King is billed as a comedy, but tonally, it can’t decide whether it’s zany or melodramatic. In this true story about a bandleader who fleeces his elderly fans of millions in a polka-fueled ponzi scheme, we’re offered up dueling performances of tenderness and over-the-top slapstick. It’s a jarring combination that doesn’t blend well. Jack Black works hard to create a charming and sympathetic “Polka King” con man Jan Lewan, and Jacki Weaver pulls out all the stops in accentuating the zaniness of Jan Lewan’s mother-in-law Barb. Someone didn’t get the right memo, and unfortunately, I’m not sure who.
Scott Waldyn
The Polka King
Starring Jack Black, Jenny Slate, Jason Schwartzman, and Jacki Weaver
Written by Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky
Directed by Maya Forbes
Streaming on Netflix