Stalin would be loving it!

Rating: 10/10 (28 October 2017)

Stalin would be loving it. In 1953 when he is found flat on his back and comatose, Stalin's corrupt, butt-kissing underlings cause chaos and terror with their plotting and scheming to replace him. Nightmares make more sense. Purges sweep away the unwise and unlucky, army and security forces vie for the upper hand, prison doors open and close, executions take place in broad daylight and back stabbing rules the day. This is political satire at its best.
History, humor, brilliant quotes and somber visions about the past, present and future combine for a fantastic film. Truth is stranger than fiction, and one of the wonderful aspects of this film is how much the political trickery cuts to the bone. Vasily Stalin (the dictator's vodka guzzling son) gets on the podium, for instance, and military jets streak across the sky and drown out his speech. A planned distraction? Of course. Stunts like this could happen anywhere and are happening everywhere. The film rings true. It is an eye-opening and fabulous glimpse of the political underworld. This is how people get killed or locked away, when their stories don't fit. The actors are amazingly good, especially Jeffrey Tambor as Malenkov, Steve Buscemi as Khrushchev and Jason Isaacs as Zhukov. If you like politics and history as much as I do, you will love this. The film is in English and a variety of accents. This device (the various accents) heightens the aspect of chaos and confusion. Seen at the Toronto International Film Festival.