Born to Win

It’s the first American movie by the Czech director Ivan Passer, who films the city’s street life with fascination while grimly observing the law’s oppressive authority -- and J’s moral degradation through lies and betrayals.

Born to Win is a good-bad movie that doesn't always work but has some really brilliant scenes.

...a meandering character study that does, given its almost excessively familiar trajectory, generally fare better than one might’ve anticipated...

Despite some funny and some touching moments, everything rings hollow.