Quick Info
This pitch-black comedy takes the chaos of Soviet power struggles and spins it into something both deeply absurd and, weirdly, relatable. It’s about the immediate aftermath of Joseph Stalin's death, as his cronies scramble to outmaneuver each other for power. The dialogue is snappy and modern, and the cast—Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, and Michael Palin—brings out the comic gold and cringe in the political drama.
What really stood out to me is how director Armando Iannucci isn't afraid to make you laugh at the sheer madness while never letting you forget the real-life brutality underneath. The humor is sharp and unrelenting—think Veep or The Thick of It, but with higher stakes and, somehow, even drier wit. Some historical purists might bristle at the liberties taken (and the English accents), but the film feels intentionally irreverent, using comedy to highlight just how surreal and terrifying authoritarianism can be.
Honestly, if you like your comedies with a dose of cynicism and don’t mind a little darkness in your laughs, this will be right up your alley. It’s clever and fast, though maybe a bit too bleak or brutal for folks who prefer their humor lighter or less political. Still, it’s a uniquely bold and memorable take on a topic that could’ve easily been too heavy for comedy.
