The “system” gets in the way of Jan’s sincere delusions of grandeur when he receives a visit from a federal agent (J.B. Smoove). Since Jan didn’t file a business prospectus before taking the investments, he has to give the money back in three days. While it’s believable that Jan wouldn’t know about this type of paperwork, it’s believable by the logic of greed what he does as soon as he lies to the government and they forget about him: he takes in more and larger investments, in order to pay people back he says, but also expands his ventures. As the timeline of this film reveals, the amateur criminal gets away with this for about five years, without his irritated mother-in-law (a high-voltage and very funny Jacki Weaver) or the government finding out.
While the first two acts have the energetic and light nature of polka music, the movie has a tempo problem, dragging in various points when opting to be merely quirky instead of punchy. As it recounts Jan’s wild business ideas, such as when Jan and his clarinetist bribe someone at the Vatican so that Jan’s European tour group can met the pope, the broad comedy becomes a weaker substitute for the more lively curiosities behind this bizarre story. With Forbes unable to create a fuller idea of what his investments are going towards or provide commentary on how the government let this happen, her script (co-written with Wally Wolodarsky, of various legendary “Simpsons” episode credits) only moves by anticipation that some type of justice shoe will eventually drop.
The sporadic magic of “The Polka King” largely comes from its casting, and the hammy performances that follow. Slate is given what seems like an extended passage about her character entering a Ms. Pennsylvania contest so that the actress can show off her wackiest side, which she does valiantly. The same goes for another overlong passage in which Schwartzman, in a tone most often heard in his Wes Anderson collaborations, talks about his dreams of changing his name to “Mickey Pizazz.” There’s also Vanessa Bayer dancing in a bear costume, and Jacki Weaver acting like she’s a live-action character from "The Simpsons," among other slap-happy joys. But the film's glimmers of brilliance dissipate once it goes back to a narrative that by the third act is half-baked.
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