An historical drama with a funny bone!

Rating: 8/10 (9 April 2018)

Part comedy, part historical drama, The Death of Stalin is a strong candidate for picture of the year. With a story based on a French graphic novel, this biting satire blends historical realism with comedy in just the right doses, placing it well above the fantasy escapism that has taken hold of much of the film industry.
The majority of The Death of Stalin centers around the bickering of Stalin's stooges as they attempt to outmaneuver each other at the USSR's Central Committee. While the film's running time is 104 minutes, it takes its time to introduce the audience to the Soviet Union under the real life Man of Steel's reign. It only moves to Stalin's demise after we realize that the USSR is an old boys club gone mad, held together by the literal and figurative skeletons in the Committee's closet and a reign of terror stemming from the USSR's secret police and Stalin himself.
The scheming in the wake of Stalin's death further demonstrates how a country can essentially become a functional dystopia, if there be a strongman in place. But after Stalin croaks, the film goes on to further show how a ruthless cabal can turn in on itself, with ultimately only the guns of the nation's soldiers providing stability.
The main morale seems to be that undemocratic governments need force at the highest levels to hold themselves together, particularly during precarious moments such as succession of leadership. In a society that gives up democratic checks and balances, the legitimacy of its rule is easily questioned and often gives off a sense of looming chaos, with the possibility of mayhem erupting. (Without giving too much away, mayhem does erupt at points under the Committee's mismanagement.)
My only nitpick about the film is the casting. Steve Buscemi is an odd fit for Nikiti Khrushchev and Jeffrey Tambor unfortunately does not fulfill the role of a complicated coward like the Deputy Chairman Georgy Malenkov, besides other than posing with the right facial expressions at key moments. Although Buscemi puts on an excellent performance, he's not stretching his acting repertoire by any means. Because of this, it's difficult not to see him as much more than a competent, Sovietized version of Mr. Pink.
(Sorry, Steve. Don't blame me. Blame Hollywood typecasting.)
Ironically, Buscemi may have been a better fit for the Malenkov role. If the Buscemi and Tambo had exchanged roles, the realism of the film may have been heightened to a degree and as long as Tambor could have pushed the Khrushchev role further than he did with Malenkov, it may have been an excellent performance on both parts.*
What The Death of Stalin succeeded best in is at showing us continuity in human affairs. While I don't want to add any spoilers to this review for anyone going in without knowing the history of the Soviet Union, the scheming in Moscow didn't end with Malenkov's or (later) Khrushchev's eventual succession. Anyone with a sufficient knowledge of recent Russian history know that this palace court intrigue continues on even into today.
*This may not have been a fault of the actors themselves since it's impossible to know what was left on the film's cutting room floor.