It may present itself as the Polish Goodfellas , but Yuma lacks the conviction of its inspiration.
Set after the fall of communism across central and Eastern Europe, it sees poverty-stricken, baby-faced Zyga (Jakub Gierszal) – like Justin Bieber playing the Milky Bar Kid – rise as a gangster at the birth of Polish capitalism.
There are flashes of greatness, with co-writer/director Piotr Mularuk touching upon, but never fully exploring, the grim desperation of the post-communist vacuum.
Overall, however, it's let down by muddled plotting, a weak script and a lead that lacks the depth needed to sell this story of moral collapse. Shame.
