The Death of Stalin

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The Death of Stalin

R

2018

1h 47m

Comedy

History

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

254 Reviews

79%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

When tyrannical dictator Joseph Stalin dies in 1953, his parasitic cronies square off in a frantic power struggle to become the next Soviet leader. Among the contenders are the dweebish Georgy Malenkov, the wily Nikita Khrushchev and Lavrenti Beria -- the sadistic secret police chief. As they bumble, brawl and back-stab their way to the top, the question remains -- just who is running the government?

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Critics Consensus

The Death of Stalin finds director/co-writer Arnando Iannucci in riotous form, bringing his scabrous political humor to bear on a chapter in history with painfully timely parallels.

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Robert Daniels

812filmreviews

The Death of Stalin is not only unexpected, but sharp, witty, and effectively spurious.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 27, 2018

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Sandra Hall

Sydney Morning Herald

A devastatingly funny dissection of power politics, stripping the mystique from it and those who worship it. Iannucci has done it again.

Rated: 4.5/5

Mar 30, 2018

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Wenlei Ma

News.com.au

The Death of Stalin is signature Iannucci - absurd set-ups leading to even more outrageous ends via the spitefully delicious cadence of his dialogue.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 30, 2018

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Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

It all feels very bleak, and appalling, and horrifically absurd. The effect is absolutely superb.

Rated: 9/10

Jun 12, 2024

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

The Death of Stalin is its own firing squad armed with a specialized brand of heinous hilarity.

Rated: 3/5

Apr 7, 2024

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Benedict Seal

Vague Visages

In the end, the humor fades away in favor of political machinations, but the film's killer gags are still numerable. Watching them delivered by expert performers is The Death of Stalin's primary pleasure.

Dec 5, 2023

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Thomas S

Simply one of my favorite movies of all time. I watch it in the Russian dub, because Beria’s Georgian accent makes it feel even more authentic. Everything is top-notch — the costumes, the actors, the screenplay — and it perfectly captures the absurd truths of totalitarian systems. It reveals the true arcanes of power, which makes me think of The Favourite. Nothing predestined Khrushchev to become Stalin’s successor, yet he did — for one reason: he made decisions when no one else dared to. The scene where Zhukov arrives and throws his coat remains, to this day, one of the most striking demonstrations of raw virility ever put on screen.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/08/25

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thiago s

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

10/27/25

Full Review

Marc Z.

What a usual and pleasant surprise. The Death of Stalin is somewhere between a comedy and historical drama. I am not sure how much of it is accurate but it is well worth watching. Any feelings I had about Russia In the post WWII era and into the Cold War were reinforced by this movie. The script and Direction are so sharp. The cast is abundant and play it well. The costume design and cinematography are good. Steve Buscemi is a surprise as Khrushchev. Watch this movie.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/15/25

Full Review

Joshua C.

This movie is a masterpiece. I loved it soo much i searched for any other movie remotely similar and watched those too. I would love a National socialist Germany version with my boy AH !!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/15/25

Full Review

Mike P

The Death of Stalin resonates with such hilarity because it actualizes what we all think must be happening behind the scenes in any power grab. Prepare to think, laugh and enjoy.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/09/25

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Ben C

Remarkably well done all around. Blending comedy with incredibly dark events almost always fails, but this movie toes the line spectacularly, delivering an amazing rendition of the death of Stalin and the following events. An absolute must watch for anyone who values political histories.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/07/25

Full Review

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Armando Iannucci

Director

Steve Buscemi

Nikita Khrushchev

Simon Russell Beale

Lavrentiy Beria

Jeffrey Tambor

Georgy Malenkov

Paddy Considine

Comrade Andryev

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The Death of Stalin: International Trailer 2

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The Death of Stalin: International Trailer 1

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Synopsis

When tyrannical dictator Joseph Stalin dies in 1953, his parasitic cronies square off in a frantic power struggle to become the next Soviet leader. Among the contenders are the dweebish Georgy Malenkov, the wily Nikita Khrushchev and Lavrenti Beria -- the sadistic secret police chief. As they bumble, brawl and back-stab their way to the top, the question remains -- just who is running the government?

Director: Armando Iannucci
Producer: Yann Zenou, Laurent Zeitoun, Nicolas Duval-Adassovsky, Kevin Loader
Screenwriter: Armando Iannucci, David Schneider, Ian Martin
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Main Journey, Quad Productions, Gaumont, Panache Productions, AFPI, France 3 Cinéma, La Compagnie Cinématographique
Rating: R (Some Sexual References|Language Throughout|Violence)
Genre: Comedy, History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 9, 2018, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 11, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $8.0M
Runtime: 1h 47m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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