Summaries

Synopsis

The film opens at a performance of Jan Lewan's (Jack Black) polka band in Pennsylvania in 1990. Near the close of the show, he brings his wife Marla (Jenny Slate) onstage. A former beauty queen, Marla models' amber jewelry they sell at their souvenir store. After the concert, Jan recounts to a happy concertgoer how he and Marla met (at a cancer telethon, where she was the local beauty queen, and Jan's band had been hired for some music), and how he has worked every terrible job imaginable, from dishwasher to janitor, to achieve the American dream.Barb (Jacki Weaver), Jan's mother-in-law, takes care of his son David Lewan (Robert Capron) when they are away touring. Jan is ambitious and wants to build a business empire.

The clarinetist in his band, Mickey (Jason Schwartzman), visits Jan at his gift shop to tell him he wants to quit the band. Jan takes Mickey to a pizza restaurant nearby, urging him to stay, promising more money. Mickey feels that Jan has enlarged the band to an unsustainable size, and reveals that other members are thinking of quitting, especially after a rumor that Jan had hired a dancing bear Bitsy (Vanessa Bayer) to accompany the shows. He admits the bear is now part of the act but insists that better times are ahead. He then picks up a pizza, going out to deliver it.

An elderly couple visits Jan and asks about investing in his band. He explains his business around the gift shop, Jan Vodka, the promised TV show and a big empire. He explains that they are guaranteed a 12% annual return on their investment. The word spreads and Jan starts taking on more and more investors.The state Securities and Exchange Commission office discovers Jan is taking on investors and sends investigator Ron Edwards (J. B. Smoove) to meet with him. He informs Jan that because he has not registered properly, it is illegal for him to accept investments. He gives Jan three days to return his investors' money and close down.

With hundreds of thousands of dollars already invested, Jan can't meet the SEC deadline. He buys lottery tickets and asks to do more work at the pizza joint. When the elderly couple returns, asking to invest more money with him, Jan changes the corporate name on his forms and takes their money. He tells Edwards that he has officially closed down his first investment scheme, omitting the fact that he has started another.Jan knows that to keep paying off his earlier investors, he needs new investors to keep coming in. The Ponzi scheme starts. He genuinely hopes that one his business will go big and that will enable him to repay his investors in full.

The film follows Jan as he continues to expand his enterprises. Jan starts a travel company offering European tours. He sells a 12-day package that climaxes with a private audience with the Pope. In Rome, he begs Mickey to help him bribe Vatican officials to secure the Papal audience. Realizing he lied to all the tour goers, Mickey threatens to expose Jan, but Jan explains that his philosophy is to simply say his goals out loud until they become true. He encourages Mickey to do the same, and Mickey explains that he has dreamed of creating a stage name for himself. Jan kneels with him in the hotel lobby and dubs him "Mickey Pizzazz".

5 yrs, the same story continues. Jan bribes the jury to be nominated for Grammys, Polka category. Jan uses the money to help out his staff with their personal problems as well. Barb is astonished at how well Jan is doing since his gift shop doesn't get any customers at all.Marla feels ignored as she has no role in Jan's success. She is just known as Mrs Jan Lewan, and this bugs her. Barb meanwhile can't figure out Jan's business. He pulls in $1500 with every show and spends way more than that. She thinks he might be dealing drugs.

Thinking that business will increase if Marla wins another beauty pageant, Jan bribes the judges in order to crown her Mrs. Pennsylvania. The ensuing controversy in the press (Coz she was not the best contestant on show by a large distance) causes some investors to want to withdraw their money or complain to the SEC. A second investigation reveals that Jan's Ponzi scheme has expanded into the millions of dollars. As he is arrested, Jan is exhilarated that God has finally let the truth be known.

Jan is sentenced to five years in prison. His cellmate slashes his throat, and Jan is glad, because he is treated better by everyone after surviving the attack. Marla divorces Jan and he has lost everything. He is released from prison and returns to leading his polka band. He still vows to pay back the $ 4.931 MM that he owes his investors. Marla was forced to step down as Mrs Pennsylvania.