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The Death of Stalin
The Death of Stalin
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The Death of Stalin

The Death of Stalin

2017
Comedy, Drama
1h 47m
Follows the Soviet dictator's last days and depicts the chaos of the regime after his death. (imdb)

Directed by:

Armando Iannucci

Screenwriter:

Armando Iannucci, David Schneider, Ian Martin, Peter Fellows

Starring:

Steve Buscemi, Michael Palin, Paddy Considine, Jeffrey Tambor, Jason Isaacs, Paul Whitehouse, Rupert Friend, Simon Russell Beale, Olga Kurylenko, Jonathan Aris, Andrea Riseborough

Genres:

Comedy, Drama, History, Biography

Countries:

France, UK

Language:

English
imdb IMDb
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The Death of Stalin

2017
Comedy, Drama
1h 47m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 57.72% from 1781 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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leonardisLeonardis
Rated 03 Sep 2018
93
74th
I wanted to see this when I saw a trailer forever ago and was glad Redbox had it. While it was not quite the movie I expected it to be, I still ended up loving it. It's a really solid story that has plenty of drama while also managing to pull out some hilarious gags in the bargain. It also boasts some good costuming. The acting is all great (I thought so at least). Definitely one of the best movies of 2018 and well worth a watch.
Rated 03 Sep 2018
jschlanskyJSchlansky
Rated 25 Mar 2018
85
86th
The balancing of tones here is impressive. The film isn't afraid to get dramatic and has a handful of moments that display great dramatic acting alongside all of the excellent comedic acting. Buscemi is the Khrushchev we never knew we needed and Simon Russell Beale makes a great villain out of Lavrenti Beria. The whole cast is given moments to shine aside from Michael Palin who was a bit underutilized.
Rated 25 Mar 2018
begoniabolbegoniabol
Rated 09 Jul 2018
88
92nd
I thought it was a fantastic movie. It's funny, silly, absolutely ridiculous at times and fast paced and I enjoyed every bit of it. Amazing characters too, holy shit, so many assholes. Can't wait to watch it again.
Rated 09 Jul 2018
cussotcussot
Rated 13 Apr 2018
82
59th
Clever ruthless thugs plan a funeral full of yucks, then do some housekeeping (out with the old, in with the old). The one-liners are hilarious, but hard to laugh at sometimes because they catch you mid-gasp. A cautionary tale.
Rated 13 Apr 2018
okkervilOkkervil
Rated 25 Mar 2018
83
88th
Searingly dark and funny. The cast are great, the decision to use natural accents a small master stroke, and Iannucci’s screenplay is as always a joy. Highly recommended.
Rated 25 Mar 2018
cmonsterCMonster
Rated 05 Nov 2018
88
87th
Have you ever played a board game where whoever is in first place gets ganged up on and then the guy in second wins? Buscemi is awesome. Beyond being funny, it's just an interesting story, the humor really is the icing on the cake here. Great movie.
Rated 05 Nov 2018
ecitizeneCitizen
Rated 21 Mar 2018
70
70th
The portrayal of a soviet politbureau staffed with groveling flunkies, sadists and inept lackeys. While comedic, I suspect this circus is closer to the truth than anyone thinks. A very dark comedy of political posturing in a system constructed with an iron fist and motivated by paranoia and suspicion. Performances are over the top, and it has some great one liners. This is an intelligent, chaotic comedy that makes fun of tragic horrors, a dark past and a corrupt system.
Rated 21 Mar 2018
dean_franzDean Franz
Rated 13 Mar 2018
90
89th
First off, this is not as funny as The Thick of It or In the Loop- But it is tighter, darker and, frankly, better. The all-enveloping sense of impending doom gives the humor an edge unlike any other comedy and the jokes, though not that plentiful, have an added weight to them. Death of Stalin is a grimly wonderful piece of work and one of the absolute best movies of the year.
Rated 13 Mar 2018
bofbof
Rated 18 Feb 2018
80
83rd
"The first time as tragedy, the second time as farce." When the big man keels over, everyone else is left scrambling for leverage in a system built on arbitrary punishment and well-deserved paranoia. Iannucci's Hamlet, never makes much of an attempt at historical context or accuracy - right down to the dialects - and is all the better for it.
Rated 18 Feb 2018
kasperlKasperL
Rated 20 Dec 2017
75
77th
The cast (in which Buscemi and Riseborough are the standouts) arguably deserves better jokes, but this is nevertheless way funnier and enjoyable than most comedies. And, needless to say, anybody who hasn't seen 'The Thick of It' and 'In the Loop' should do so pronto.
Rated 20 Dec 2017
quintonjaminQuintonjamin
Rated 17 May 2020
70
65th
Very interesting story and the acting is great, but it wasn't as funny as I hoped.
Rated 17 May 2020
frederikaFrederikA
Rated 07 Dec 2019
80
86th
One of the darkest (and best) comedies I've seen in a very long time and the perfect companion piece for Der Untergang. No really!
Rated 07 Dec 2019
montycircusMontyCircus
Rated 11 May 2018
20
12th
About as funny as "Schindler's List". Half-way through, one of the three other people in the theatre let out a long, loud sigh/moan. My thoughts exactly. Easy front runner for worst film of the year.
Rated 11 May 2018
cagedwisdomcagedwisdom
Rated 18 Apr 2018
75
65th
Not completely hilarious or on target, but it does a very good job of balancing a bleak and disturbing plot with lighthearted farce - a masterclass in tone the likes of which I've rarely seen. An entertaining bit of history which given its presentation left me not really caring at all how much of it really happened. I'd give it a fairly strong recommendation, but it didn't blow me away.
Rated 18 Apr 2018
jackryan2014JackRyan2014
Rated 30 Oct 2017
80
94th
A satirical drama that is informative and often darkly comic. Shows what life was like under totalitarianism in Stalinist Russia and illustrates how fear pervades and brutal violence was commonplace. The Death of Stalin doesn't hold back and is filled with great actors reciting witty dialogue along with good characterisation. The problem is virtually every character is a terrible human being, except Olga Kurylenko as Maria, meaning it's difficult spending time watching such odious individuals.
Rated 30 Oct 2017
nichololasNichololas
Rated 25 Oct 2017
80
68th
A superb farce; the cast is excellent, the dialogue is snappy, and the humour is very droll. I do however think that this movie would feel more at home on stage. I'm not sure how historically accurate the architecture is (more than the accents but less than the events, I'd guess), but in big scenes I thought it the cinematography seemed more claustrophobic than grandiose - which perhaps was the point - and that the third act lacked an emotional punch at key moments, hence the 80/100 rating.
Rated 25 Oct 2017
thegreyfoxthegreyfox
Rated 23 Dec 2020
40
13th
This comes over like a dress rehearsal of a pantomine, where the director says "just improvise ... get into character, dont worry about a script!". Was I really supposed to trust anything from this? History, Biography, really?! Was I really supposed to laugh at it, other than at some very juvenile (but admittedly very creative) swearing? IMDB says Iannucci's trademarks include "Characters who drastically overestimate their importance & capabilities"; That seems to sum up Iannucci in a nutshell
Rated 23 Dec 2020
mattorama12mattorama12
Rated 24 May 2020
84
94th
Truly outstanding stuff. It really should get recognition up there with Dr. Strangelove and Life of Brian as top flight political satire. Tambor and Buscemi are in perfect form, and who knew Jason Isaacs could be legitimately hilarious?
Rated 24 May 2020
luna6ixLuna6ix
Rated 29 Jan 2020
70
34th
I was pretty stoked to see an English language farce about this subject. Stalinist Russia seems like a gold mine for comedy. But this one just didn't quite click for me, the humor was so dry that it was often undetectable and I often had trouble keeping up with the story. Great idea, lackluster execution.
Rated 29 Jan 2020
davidblastDavidBlast
Rated 16 Jan 2020
60
53rd
While we wait for the rest of the world to finally embrace the horrors of the Soviet Union, and understand that it taking its rightful place on the gold medal stand with the Nazi regime, does not diminish the terrors of either, I guess this absurd comedy will have to do. I chuckled at times.
Rated 16 Jan 2020
mentaculusMentaculus
Rated 18 Jul 2019
92
92nd
Iannucci has this super power to create Works that are Funny but aren't Comedy - some new kind of brand, way beyond dark comedy. Yes, it's ridiculously funny, and the performances nail it. But you also get this nagging feeling this is probably more true than we care to outright realize - and probably happening in some war room out there right now. Laugh it up.
Rated 18 Jul 2019
filliganFilligan
Rated 03 Apr 2018
97
96th
Funniest film I've seen in a couple years, and it's not like it's hard to make me laugh. The screenplay and the cast are simply wonderful. These tried-and-true comedy presences speaking in their plain not-Russian accents sell the material well, nailing both the bickering and the physical bits. This feels like a modern Dr. Strangelove, which I know sounds blasphemous to some -- but really, I keep drawing comparisons in my head and the film deserves similar praise.
Rated 03 Apr 2018
schnofelschnofel
Rated 21 Feb 2018
91
98th
A point made early on is that the Soviets killed so many people (estimates go up to 62 millions) that they don't even know who's dead anymore. It's a slaughterhouse, everybody dies, haha. The humor is so dark, it feels like a wave of evil passing by. To his credit Iannucci never just sees these people as buffoons, he simultaneously acknowledges the frightening might of totalitarianism: in their entrances alone the weight of history comes crashing down. It's a moral and anarchic act.
Rated 21 Feb 2018
difontaineDifontaine
Rated 07 Nov 2017
80
77th
Very dark but still funny. A truly all-star cast spread the work around to great effect, a special hello for Jason Isaacs.
Rated 07 Nov 2017
mandymandy
Rated 02 Nov 2017
7
73rd
Dark, satirical comedy, a fantastic cast and very funny
Rated 02 Nov 2017
arossaross
Rated 18 May 2020
84
74th
Somewhat difficult to follow the multitude of characters early on, but lots of great dark humor.
Rated 18 May 2020
twincinematwincinema
Rated 13 Jan 2019
70
52nd
"Hm, let me read about the real Beria *checks Wikipedia and reads the section about "Sexual Predator"* ....oh."
Rated 13 Jan 2019
joelwatchesmoviesjoelwatchesmovies
Rated 18 Sep 2018
8
80th
Quite an entertaining script: Takes the prim and proper genre of historical drama and the dark subject matter of dictators and deathly politics and injects it with some Monty Python-esque flair, as a charmingly accuracy-apathetic hodgepodge of accents and expletives craft one hilarious skit after another (see the Council's bickering at board meetings, their game of telephone at the funeral, figuring out Stalin's last gesture) which are all tied together in a solid political power games-plot.
Rated 18 Sep 2018
obdurateObdurate
Rated 13 May 2018
85
81st
As Filligan said, it does certainly feel like a modern Strangelove... though not as good. It's still a wildly entertaining time though. Great casting, everybody was perfectly suited for their roles. I love that the actors speak naturally because movies focus too much on them usually and this lets the comedy flow; and it was quite a funny flick for maybe half of it. It loses some steam as it goes on; the kinetic energy is still there but it's not as comedic. But its never boring.
Rated 13 May 2018
lethiaslethias
Rated 26 Apr 2018
90
89th
What a witty satire ! It's really hard to point out and extrapolate all the nuances of politics but they did, I think, rather exceptional job at it. It's much more fun if you know some actual history as the absurdity becomes even funnier. And it's not even close to being all about the "jokes" which are good but I prefer the overall absurdness and subtle behavior of the cast towards one or other side.
Rated 26 Apr 2018
badfurdayBadFurDay
Rated 13 Apr 2018
8
87th
Perfect tone, great actors, decent script. The movie has some lengthy weak moments, but the good bits make it worthwile. It's not an easy topic to turn into a comedy, yet this worked really well. Guaranteed to get a couple laughs out of even the most blasé viewer, and comes with a free strangely accurate history lesson.
Rated 13 Apr 2018
stewballStewball
Rated 10 Apr 2018
70
54th
More than based on true events, most of the absurdity actually happened. A real life black comedy.
Rated 10 Apr 2018
plveniceplvenice
Rated 09 Apr 2018
83
85th
Hilarious and oddly historically accurate.
Rated 09 Apr 2018
fenixdownfenixdown
Rated 04 Apr 2018
83
87th
Unbelievably ridiculous, and yet feels timeless and relevant. What a mess.
Rated 04 Apr 2018
ehk2ehk2
Rated 26 Feb 2018
50
67th
I find this a good parody of "real socialism". Who was to blame? Of course, we the communists! F.ck Stalin and continue to defend the Revolution.
Rated 26 Feb 2018
duderDuder
Rated 23 Feb 2018
70
75th
I think my score would only increase after further viewings. The tone of this one is amazing. How it handles such a serious topic with such grace and makes you laugh at these awful actions.. A great piece of writing and amazing actin all around. Definitely will watch again.
Rated 23 Feb 2018
angrypierreangrypierre
Rated 08 Nov 2017
80
74th
Not exactly belly laughs, but you have to laugh or you'd cry.
Rated 08 Nov 2017
scholar69420Scholar69420
Rated 18 Nov 2023
84
92nd
straight up the best political satire i’ve ever seen. so funny, and likely more true to life than most historical dramas
Rated 18 Nov 2023
croweycrowey
Rated 30 Sep 2022
89
90th
Excellent, though I enjoyed it much more the second time after watching a documentary to give it better context. Turns out that it was remarkably (~98%) accurate, even down to minute details. Yet surprisingly (bleakly) hilarious and full of historical double entendres. It’s a rare story I enjoy that has no heroes, only villains. But Buschemi-Khruschev & Isaacs-Zhukov really sold the whole package.
Rated 30 Sep 2022
oretyo_rety
Rated 24 Jan 2021
90
87th
Great script and some excellent performances, with some of them (e.g. Steve Buscemi's) even exceptionally great. I guess, it works even more for western audiences, because they naturally take it to be exaggerated for the purposes of dark humor. Whilst we, people from behind the Iron Curtain, know that it's not necessarily so (but still can appreciate a good laugh - after all, as Russians say, if you have to either weep or laugh, you laugh).
Rated 24 Jan 2021
corbadCorbad
Rated 22 Mar 2019
85
89th
I don't know who thought this was a good idea, but they were entirely right. The first half is a riotously effective comedy, slapstick and wit dancing heedlessly with absurdity. The second half is an equally effective chaotic political drama, still absurd but less easily comedic. Really well done in both halves.
Rated 22 Mar 2019
rafalivrarirafa_livrari
Rated 15 Feb 2019
82
73rd
I really need to spend some time in Russia. Crazy bast****!
Rated 15 Feb 2019
uksubsUKSubs
Rated 20 Jan 2019
93
93rd
Political farce at its finest. The great performances, especially by Steve Buscemi and Jeffrey Tambor make the movie fly by and provide a twisted insight into what happens when governments fail.
Rated 20 Jan 2019
dmcrimsonDMCrimson
Rated 07 Jan 2019
81
66th
Not as good as Veep or In The Loop but still contains some impeccable Iannucci dialogue and situations.
Rated 07 Jan 2019
big_lemonsBig Lemons
Rated 09 Dec 2018
88
83rd
A pitch-black comedy, impeccably cast, underlined by a bombastic ersatz-Shostakovich score.
Rated 09 Dec 2018
themacsaysthemacsays
Rated 04 Nov 2018
91
93rd
P - Great fun, steers a steady course of comedy through the horrific blackness of what's going on. Backstabbing, conniving, everyone out for themselves, but of course it's all for the party. Excellent performances throughout, but especially from Steve Buscemi as Khrushchev. Unanimous.
Rated 04 Nov 2018
maakalmaakal
Rated 29 Oct 2018
72
43rd
It was alright, funny enough. You have to be in the mood for this dry sort of humor, though.
Rated 29 Oct 2018
amerigoamerigo
Rated 23 Jul 2018
89
94th
A smart, brutally authentic bit of historical fiction. Revealing the absurdist reality of Soviet politics has never been done better.
Rated 23 Jul 2018
omgfridgeomgfridge
Rated 28 Jun 2018
7
64th
Not quite to the heights of 'Into the Loop' yet it still has all the quips and whistles. Jason Isaacs an easy MVP award here.
Rated 28 Jun 2018
jj1986JJ1986
Rated 22 Jun 2018
50
29th
Very lethargic, lacks the energy and apce of most of Iannucci's work and plays more like an historical drama with some irony than a comedy.
Rated 22 Jun 2018
hajikarimihajikarimi
Rated 18 Jun 2018
93
82nd
it was wonderful and funny! especially for those who lived part of his life in a semi-ideological totalitaire government! it was wonderful!
Rated 18 Jun 2018
fra_paolofra paolo
Rated 11 Jun 2018
77
84th
Not especially funny but I enjoyed it, although the rush to the end is unsatisfying. Red Monarch, a Film4 film from the 1980s covers similar ground better. Probably more true to life than we might be willing to imagine.
Rated 11 Jun 2018
rurusmasherRuruSmasher
Rated 02 Jun 2018
93
85th
Since Armando Iannucci loves his swear words, I am gonna fucking swear so much in this review. This was fucking funny and dark and the humour just managed to underscore all of the dark moments (so many fucking executions!!) The tone of the movie is perfect and there are brilliant little directorial touches. The cast was exquisite, my favorite was Jason Isaacs (but he's always my fucking favorite). Many things might go over your head if you haven't lived in a communist country.
Rated 02 Jun 2018
xacviantxacviant
Rated 20 May 2018
85
72nd
Great when it's great, with a fantastic cast (especially Simon Russell Beale as Beria) and a frequently clever script; however, the more overt attempts at comedy sometimes fall flat, and the last act devolves into chaos.
Rated 20 May 2018
orcunyondemorcunyondem
Rated 09 May 2018
81
73rd
I can't even call it dark-humour. This is just so good.
Rated 09 May 2018
scorpusScorpus
Rated 08 May 2018
71
44th
Any film that made Russia so angry is a film worth watching
Rated 08 May 2018
prowlerprowler
Rated 14 Apr 2018
80
81st
everything i hoped it would be, no less and no more
Rated 14 Apr 2018
europaerEuropäer
Rated 12 Apr 2018
75
0th
Is it ethical passable to laugh and make fun about Stalin, a dictator who is responsible for the death and suffering so many humans? I do not know, therefore you have to watch the movie yourself. You do not have to be a historian to understand or enjoy the movie, but it may help to know some background about the Sowjet Union. During the viewing a laughed plenty of times; most of the jokes are, for my taste, intelligent ones. No fart or poop jokes.
Rated 12 Apr 2018
prepwrestlerprepwrestler
Rated 09 Apr 2018
69
44th
Funny movie, think this film would be better for those who are history enthusiasts.
Rated 09 Apr 2018
yesistastyyesistasty
Rated 08 Apr 2018
75
29th
Not as funny as I was expecting.
Rated 08 Apr 2018
cowfrappecowfrappe
Rated 04 Apr 2018
75
75th
Smart and savage.
Rated 04 Apr 2018
yoohooyoohoo
Rated 14 Mar 2018
80
68th
Stalin dies and chaos ensues. Hilarious, witty, intelligent. Watching these awful people pretend to be heartbroken over Stalin's untimely death while simultaneously scheming behind others backs to become the next leader of the Soviet Union is great fun.
Rated 14 Mar 2018
vandelay1Vandelay1
Rated 07 Mar 2018
71
79th
good movie
Rated 07 Mar 2018
thedicemanTheDiceman
Rated 05 Mar 2018
70
82nd
Most amusing.
Rated 05 Mar 2018
moopermooper
Rated 02 Mar 2018
75
67th
That was way more informative than I expected it to be. That was a nice addition to an already pretty clever dark comedy.
Rated 02 Mar 2018
dawolfeyDaWolfey
Rated 25 Feb 2018
74
92nd
I think I expected it to be funnier.
Rated 25 Feb 2018
mspraguemsprague
Rated 24 Feb 2018
70
60th
Excellent cast, fast and witty.
Rated 24 Feb 2018
amazedemonamazedemon
Rated 24 Feb 2018
67
76th
Much like most of Iannucci's work, The Death of Stalin contains a glimpse into the manic frenzy that played out behind the scenes following Stalin's death. While not completely true to history, the film provides great satire towards the scrambling to fill a power vacuum. Honestly this is how I like my period dramas, with dramatic fervency and snappy dialogue. The entire cast is great, balancing comedy with drama, though Buscemi and Beale stood out. Also, never trust a pianist.
Rated 24 Feb 2018
chengmingchengming
Rated 19 Feb 2018
65
47th
Great cast and occasional laughs, but drags a bit at times.
Rated 19 Feb 2018
snbutlersnbutler
Rated 29 Oct 2017
69
57th
The events depicted are, of course, rather too dark to make a a comedy as consistently funny as some of Iannucci & co's other works but it still manages more laughs than most. The accent choices are very good and, in some cases, inspired.
Rated 29 Oct 2017
judge_holdenJudge Holden
Rated 06 Oct 2017
4
51st
[TIFF 2017] Amusing but nowhere near as memorable as In the Loop or his best work.
Rated 06 Oct 2017
carsonwidCarsonWid
Rated 09 Sep 2017
74
71st
Some great creative decisions made, but the trailer shows all the great jokes and there's not much left after that.
Rated 09 Sep 2017
videoetronVideoetron
Rated 19 Jul 2024
79
94th
Seems slow toward the end before things go down, but it was entertaining. I loved the humour style, and the artistic choice to make sure no one spoke in stereotypical russian fashion allowed to appreciate more the dialog and the plotting and sneaking around. It's a touchy subject since so many irl folks lived the fear and massacres, but I think the way they added a lot of senseless and cruel oppression in the movie helps keep in mind this may be a comedy but real life was more unhinged
Rated 19 Jul 2024
stuie299stuie299
Rated 18 Apr 2024
80
60th
The Death of Stalin has a great cast, and some really good lines of dialogue. The tonal balance on display is superb. I just think some of the plot and character elements aren't afforded the proper time to develop, and thusly give the film a smaller more trivial vibe. Ultimately though, it is a well made and enjoyable film, despite feeling more slight than what you would have expected from the premise.
Rated 18 Apr 2024
djrossdjross
Rated 07 Mar 2024
60
63rd
Despite huge differences in style, humour, ambition and intent, this could really form the second half of a Beria double feature, to be screened after KHRUSTALYOV, MY CAR!. The approach to casting is pretty great, and it does contain quite a few good lines.
Rated 07 Mar 2024
kristerKrister
Rated 18 Feb 2024
95
0th
Comedic in a way that the naive can never find as comedic: the performance of each character in giving praise, adoration, or even expressing grief for the demise of Stalin... despite the fact that they hated him and that they wanted their personal plans to advance and make sure that they rise to power.
Rated 18 Feb 2024
gadelatgadelat
Rated 03 Feb 2023
38
15th
Borefest. I've managed to last till half of the movie.
Rated 03 Feb 2023
n1k0o8N1k0o8
Rated 08 Dec 2022
78
75th
Very clever and funny, I enjoyed every minutes of it
Rated 08 Dec 2022
shockularSHOCKULAR
Rated 11 Nov 2022
84
82nd
I really enjoy Armando Iannucci's work, and this is no exception. It's one of those movies that is clever throughout but only laugh out loud funny a few times, but it's balanced out nicely by some tense dramatic scenes. The ensemble cast, nominally led by Steve Buscemi, are all good. It's always good seeing a character actor as talented as Buscemi get to do the heavy lifting in a film. Highly recommended.
Rated 11 Nov 2022
mushamb0mushamb0
Rated 31 Oct 2022
77
10th
Thoroughly entertaining, loses track for awhile 2nd Act, but top-notch script and performances.
Rated 31 Oct 2022
newfrensNewfrens
Rated 29 Sep 2022
75
27th
Fun even if you are unfamiliar with the history.
Rated 29 Sep 2022
grimsoothgrimsooth
Rated 28 Sep 2022
63
61st
So, it's not actually funny but there are amusing moments. Like how it's not quite a documentary but somehow really close the the actual events.
Rated 28 Sep 2022
anarchisticaanarchistica
Rated 24 Aug 2022
30
12th
It's sluggish, it's unfunny, you don't know half the people they're talking about, it lies about historical events, Jeffrey Tambor is insufferable as usual and Beale looks way too much like a fatter Dick Cheney. Worst of all, The Death of Stalin shows you how not to do a comedy about historically awful people. It basically fails in every way Jojo Rabbit succeeded.
Rated 24 Aug 2022
scribScrib
Rated 05 Aug 2022
75
65th
The Death of Stalin is dysfunctional as a historical biopic, limiting one to drawing feeling, rather than fact, from the events depicted. It's also distracted as a comedy, though the satire is nonetheless present and effective in hindsight. It seems that while trying to succeed as both comedy and biopic it winds up falling a little short in both camps. Still, I think it's worth watching for its small triumphs and every laugh that lands.
Rated 05 Aug 2022
ottott
Rated 24 Jul 2022
65
46th
i think it's good to remember that this is an adaptation of a french bd and as we know the french are masters of juxtaposition of time and image and also what the french are not master of; humor
Rated 24 Jul 2022
thatyoungmthatyoungm
Rated 27 May 2022
87
46th
A breakneck dark comedy that mixes equal parts historical drama and satire together into one fast-paced cocktail. It's wonderfully acted, has plenty of little one-liners and nuanced humor, and isn't afraid to tackle some difficult political subject matter. This is a film unlike any other.
Rated 27 May 2022
forehead1forehead1
Rated 29 Mar 2022
60
72nd
A well-toned black comedy with pitch-perfect performances by most of the cast (especially Russell Beale). Hearing the horrors of the regime spouted in such a casually dead-panned style by the English-speaking cast is consistently amusing, but considering the historical liberties taken with the story you wonder why the craziness isn’t ramped up even more. It’s different and humorous throughout, but perhaps just missing that something extra to make it truly memorable.
Rated 29 Mar 2022
gnalkhereGnalkhere
Rated 23 Mar 2022
85
82nd
The perfect spiritual finale to The Thick of It
Rated 23 Mar 2022
braddad68braddad68
Rated 06 Sep 2021
90
52nd
Though very well written and acted, I expected more laughs.
Rated 06 Sep 2021
calexicoCalexico
Rated 11 Jul 2021
70
36th
Buscemi is great
Rated 11 Jul 2021
bhoyobhoyo
Rated 24 Feb 2021
45
8th
Armando Iannucci is a genius. This movie is a turkey (apart from the hilarious Jason Isaacs).
Rated 24 Feb 2021
dommulldommull
Rated 14 Feb 2021
50
5th
maintains the farcical chaos of The Thick of It but lacks the same level of humour. just didn't find it funny or entertaining for the most part
Rated 14 Feb 2021
benblaneybenblaney
Rated 13 Feb 2021
81
57th
Hilarious, surreal, bizarre, witty.
Rated 13 Feb 2021
fredericg54frederic_g54
Rated 10 Jan 2021
6
35th
One of those conflicted movies that hedges its bets by trying to be two movies at once. As a satire, it's stylistically misguided and only intermittently funny, and as a drama, not particularly earth-shattering or memorable. Didn't care much for it, really.
Rated 10 Jan 2021
backwardsuitbackwardsuit
Rated 05 Jan 2021
68
41st
Pretty funny, dark and uncomfortable but not in a way that always amounts to good historical satire in my mind. It never quite shakes off its outsiders perpective and cannot touch the tragedy it depicts with enough weigh, let alone incorporate it to it's dark sense of humor. The screwball character interactions work rather well on their own and do provide somewhat good contrast to the historical story but for anyone with some context about Soviet life and politics it's hardly illuminating.
Rated 05 Jan 2021
perrystroikaPerryStroika
Rated 24 Dec 2020
1
0th
The Anglophone world has such a cavalier attitude towards the history of other cultures, Russian culture in particular. They feel no compunction about making things up and then labeling them as historical. This film, Chernobyl and Enemy at the Gates are only the most obvious examples. Why don't you stick to making things up about your own history?
Rated 24 Dec 2020
frankswildfrankswild
Rated 22 Jun 2020
80
75th
Jason Isaacs is fucking hilarious in this. I know this has been said before but Iannucci creates such a strong counter current to the part of our modern ideology that tries to convince us that the events of the world and the decisions of the state are sensible and not totally contingent and chaotic
Rated 22 Jun 2020
muutanetmuutanet
Rated 21 Jun 2020
73
70th
Higly hilarous first act promised much to get a funny historic attempt to tell what really happened during the death of Stalin. Unfortunately the second and the third acts did not last with the promise of the first one.
Rated 21 Jun 2020
docbenwaydocbenway
Rated 04 Jun 2020
70
50th
Well done, funny.
Rated 04 Jun 2020
basedoneBasedOne
Rated 30 May 2020
10
96th
Absolutely hilarious - this is an amazing satirical work. Basically Conspiracy but funny. Buscemi, Tambor, Beale, and Isaacs are all amazing among a great cast. But the movie ultimately excels at portraying a culture that was harsh and repressive it seems absurd in retrospect to a modern audience. "Can you ever really trust a weak man?" Pretty much sums up the core of the film since everyone is trying to out-maneuver one another in a society obsessed with complete and cruel strength.
Rated 30 May 2020

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