The 2024 Netflix Polish movie Boxer introduces us to several key characters who had a big impact on Jedrzej’s life and helped to achieve the dreams he always wanted in life. Here’s a quick guide to all these characters and how they influenced Jedrzej in his journey.
Spoilers Ahead
Jedrzej
When I watched Eryk Kulm’s portrayal of Jedrzej, I saw a man driven by much more than just the desire to win in the ring I mean sure he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps, to show the world that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, but deep down, Jedrzej wanted to escape the harsh, violent environment of communist Poland as, for him, England represented freedom and a chance to live a life of luxury with his wife, Kasia, away from the struggles of his home country. But as the story progressed, it became clear that Jedrzej’s ambitions were blinding him, as once he got the money, the fame, and the luxurious lifestyle he craved after he signed his contract with Henryk in England, everything started to fall apart. It was heartbreaking to watch him lose the things that really mattered—his wife, his son, and his uncle Czesiek, everyone. Jedrzej’s downfall wasn’t just about losing boxing matches or struggling with addiction; it was about losing touch with who he truly was. He got so caught up in his hunger for wealth and status that he forgot the people who had supported him all along and started to value fame over family. But what really struck me was how Jedrzej finally came to terms with his mistakes when his uncle died and his wife divorced him, which made him come back to his home country, Poland, because he wanted to come back to his roots. Jedrzej’s decision to confront Konstanty and reclaim his uncle’s gym showed that he was ready to leave behind his toxic ambitions and focus on what truly mattered, to training young kids, helping them pursue their dreams, honoring his elder’s memory; these were the signs that he had found peace in a simpler life. Jedrzej learned that fame and fortune meant nothing without the people he loved, and this made him a better person.
Kasia
Adrianna Chlebicka’s portrayal of Kasia would immediately make you connect with her character, she was a smart, independent woman who was a chemistry major, and she had ambitions to finish university and build a life for herself. But then, she fell in love with this up-and-coming boxer, Jedrzej, and she was happy. They didn’t have much money, but Kasia wasn’t materialistic—what she cared about was being happy with her husband. And for a while, that seemed to be enough for her. Kasia was never the type to hold Jedrzej back from his dreams though, and that’s why when he decided to go to England to chase fame and fortune, she supported him fully, even though it meant leaving behind her own dreams and family, but along the way, she lost herself, because the girl who once had her own goals became someone who was just trying to fit into the life her husband created. There were so many moments when Kasia tried to reach out to Jedrzej, to remind him that she and their son mattered. She had given up so much for him—moving to England, working two jobs while pregnant just to keep them afloat, and trying to hold their family together while he chased after money and fame. She wasn’t asking for anything extravagant, just some attention, some love. But Jedrzej got so wrapped up in his new life that he started to ignore her, and worst of all, he cheated on her with a journalist, Eva. Kasia had been patient, understanding, and supportive, but she had her limits, as she realized that she couldn’t keep sacrificing herself for someone who didn’t appreciate what she was doing, and who didn’t even seem to care about their family anymore. That’s when she made the decision to leave him and take their son with her. She wanted to stand up for herself, and she realized she deserved better. When they reconnected later she saw that her ex-husband had truly changed and was trying to support their child as he realized his mistakes, she felt proud and respected this version of Jedrzej more than ever.
Czesiek
Eryk Lubos, as Czesiek, was the trainer for both Jedrzej and his father, Edwin, who truly believed in their potential. His life was really tragic, because when Czesiek wanted them to succeed, both of them failed him as a trainer. Where Edwin sacrificed his fame for his family’s sake, his son Jedrzej did the opposite and chased after fame. At the last minute, Jedrzej changed his trainer from his uncle to someone else, who others considered to be better. Czesiek was his first teacher, and was the one who arranged their move to England. He even went to jail for treason to take the blame for sneaking Kasia into England under a false identity. And all this for what? In the end, Czesiek was the one who got betrayed, and in the end, he felt like he had nothing left so he drank his days away and fell into depression, eventually committing suicide.
Eva
Waleria Gorobets played Eva, a journalist who became involved with Jedrzej. She used her influence to draw him into her world by offering him prime-time interviews and more attention than he had ever received. Their relationship led to Jedrzej’s destruction, as he started to indulge in drugs and sleep with her, cheating on his wife. For her, Jedrzej neglected his family, career, and sanity that truly mattered to him. So even though she never wanted his downfall to happen, I would say she was partly responsible for it.
Wladek
Bartlomiej Kotschedoff played Wladek, the officer who first caught on to the fact that Kasia might be lying about being a doctor to get into England with a false identity. He was sharp and suspicious from the start, and it seemed like he was ready to expose her. Even though Kasia wasn’t really a doctor, she was the one who first noticed Wladek’s black bags under his eyes, which led him to get checked out by a doctor, revealing he had cancer. Because of Kasia, he was able to get the treatment he needed, for which Wladek was really grateful.
Henryk
Jacek Poniedziałek played Henryk’s character, who was all about business, because Henryk promised to sponsor Jedrzej to offer him the kind of life Jedrzej had always dreamed of – a luxurious home, expensive clothes – but Jedrzej had to keep winning his matches, as Henryk did not just want to hand out luxury for free; he expected a return on his investment. When Jedrzej started losing, Henryk’s patience ran out. He wasn’t interested in excuses or second chances—he wanted his money back. Henryk made it clear that he wasn’t in this to help anyone for the sake of kindness. He was a cunning man who was only in it for profit, and as soon as Jedrzej stopped being useful to him, Henryk was done with him.
Edwin
Michał Żurawski played Edwin, who was Jedrzej’s father, and a once-famous boxing champion of Poland. But later he was forced to lose an Olympic match to the Russians, but it wasn’t about his ability to win—he had to throw the fight for political reasons. The president, Konstanty, threatened to ruin his family’s lives if he didn’t lose. So, to protect them, Edwin sacrificed his dream of winning the gold medal for Poland at the Olympics, which cost him his reputation, his pride, and eventually, his will to live. The public turned on him, and for this, over time, he developed depression and lung cancer and eventually died. He was always strict with his son and pushed him to focus on education instead of boxing, but he never got the chance to show him how much he loved him, because Edwin didn’t want Jedrzej to follow the same path and face the same downfall, but sadly, Jedrzej didn’t realize this until it was too late.
Neil McKavanagh and Roy Barber
Jon McKenna played Neil McKavanagh, the famous English boxer who Jedrzej and Kasia were both huge fans of. When they moved to England, their big dream was to get into Neil’s gym and have him as their sponsor as they knew it would be a huge opportunity for Jedrzej. Jedrzej faced off against Neil’s top boxer, Roy Barber, played by Harry Matthews. Even though Jedrzej didn’t win the fight, his performance caught Neil’s attention, and also a trainer named Jackie Boss gave him his first real break in England.
