From the co-creator of Alan Partridge, this dark comedy delves into the power struggles that ensued among the remaining Soviet Union leaders following Stalin's death. The Death of Stalin, released in 2017, presents a political narrative that is as humorous as it is grim.
As one would expect from Armando Iannucci, the creator of The Thick of It, the film tackles the story with biting satire that mocks the utter pandemonium that erupted after the Soviet leader's demise. An impressive cast is led by Jason Isaacs of The White Lotus fame, who stars as Georgy Zhukov, a Soviet marshal and top commander during World War Two.
Sharing the screen is comedic legend Steve Buscemi, who portrays former Soviet Union prime minister Nikita Khrushchev, while Monty Python's Sir Michael Palin plays foreign secretary Vyacheslav Molotov - renowned for a very specific type of cocktail. Also featured are Jeffrey Tambor from Arrested Development, Paul Whitehouse from The Fast Show, and Paddy Considine before his House of the Dragon days.
Based on actual events, the satirical tale follows the death of dictator Joseph Stalin in 1953 and the ensuing chaos within the Communist Party. As they vie to become the new Soviet Union leader, the contenders engage in physical fights and backstabbing to reach the top. But who will emerge victorious and assume the role of the new powerful leader?
The film landed with critical acclaim upon its 2017 release, boasting a 95 per cent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. A critic said: "This movie is so funny and so smart it restores my faith in what humanity is capable of. Forget going to the moon; this comedy may be the height of human accomplishment.
"Every time I see it, it gets better and better. The decision to have every actor use their actual accent is riotous."
In a move believed to highlight the vast reach of the Soviet Empire, the comedy features variations of English accents, including Jason Issacs' memorable broad Yorkshire twang—hardly the true voice of Georgy Zhukov.
It's quirky choices like these that have earned the film's writers high praise, with another fans saying: "The movie is an absolute masterpiece of writing and acting. If you are from Eastern Europe, it's an excellent movie if you are familiar with the subject matter and a pretty damned good comedy if you are not."
While snagging BAFTA nods and bagging numerous British Independent Film Awards, not all punters were tickled by the political satire at the box office.
One disappointed review said: "It was like watching the best actors I've ever seen on a really poor day that had nothing to work with, as far as a script was concerned. I waited and waited for just one good shot of cerebral humour within the flat yammering but, unfortunately, got nothing."
Nonetheless, with satirical maestro Armando Iannucci at the helm as director and writer, working with other comedic talents such as David Schneider, expectations were high, leading many to label the film a “must-watch”. A review praised the film, saying: "Iannucci has moved to the other side of the political spectrum for this barbed and witty movie. Who knew an execution could be so hilarious?".
Another added: "While it's another fantastic movie, I wish I had watched it earlier. What a great way to tackle an awful period of time."
The Death of Stalin is available on Amazon Prime Video.
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