It may not be the easiest time to laugh about politics, but The Death of Stalin wants us to chortle at men conniving and posturing in the pursuit of power, even with millions of lives hanging in the balance.
It’s Russia, 1953. As Stalin peters out a mad scramble for control of the country heats up, and in this case, the contenders are a bunch of sardonic foreigners not even faking Russian accents. I’d be surprised if there’s a competent man in the mix, because this isn’t about historical accuracy, it’s about taking the piss out of the whole situation.
With a cast of comedy veterans and the trailer’s light-footed energy, this already feels like a breath of fresh air in dour times. When thes film rolls out later this year surrounded by awards season fare, the silliness will almost certainly delight drama-weary audiences.
Based on the graphic novel of the same name and directed by Veep creator Armando Iannucci, there’s probably going to be plenty of parallels drawn to present-day situations, so if you aren’t ready to laugh at scary power grabs, maybe avoid this one. But there’s lots of people who use humor as medicine (just look at how popular political comedy is right now), so expect The Death of Stalin to hit more than a few funny bones.
The Death of Stalin is directed by Armando Iannucci and stars Jason Isaacs, Olga Kurylenko, and Steve Buscemi. It will be released in the U.K. on October 20th, 2017. Further release dates have not been announced.
Do you think The Death of Stalin will hit the right comedic note? Let us know in the comments!
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