THE DEATH OF STALIN review
THE DEATH OF STALIN starring Steve Buscemi, Jeffrey Tambor and Jason Isaacs directed by Armando Iannucci A review by Helen J. Reynolds A dark comedy centred over the dictatorship of Stalin and the men who vied for power after his death. It's an all-star cast that isn't going for historical accuracy, but at the same time it isn't just going for laughs, either. This is a satire on how politicians take power: The gross cosying up i.e. literally running to be the first to hug a grieving daughter, the back-stabbing plans - made in a bathroom so the flush drowns out possible surveillance, or the protocols that matter only for political points, otherwise, 'Ah, I'm just messing with you!' Characters are as oily as political life but you don't ever feel bored watching them bicker. Steve Buscemi takes the main role of Nikita Khrushchev, whose history will tell you how successful his plans for power were. Buscemi's arch-rival here is Lavrentiy Beria (...