It works!

Rating: 9/10 (16 April 2020)

The Soviet Union never worked, but this film does. On many levels. The script is fantastic. Dialogue is crisply and believably delivered. And what seems at first glance to be odd casting, turns out to work as well. Even if dark humor isn't your thing, you'll be drawn into this one.
One small quibble, the pacing could have been a little tighter. It takes a few minutes to get going. And some editing of the funeral scenes would have helped. I'm going to avoid plot spoilers here and just add that viewers should hang in there until Marshal Zhukov arrives. Things move fast from then on.
If history was taught and presented as well in classrooms (without the 'f' bombs, of course) as it is this film we'd have a better educated society.