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****
Dir: Armando Ianucci (15, 105 mins)
From British political machinations in The Thick of It to American politics in Veep, Armando Ianucci now turns his foul mouthed, hilarious satirical gaze on the Russian political scene in 1953. The scramble for power after dictator Stalin’s death is ludicrously documented in this very funny and loosely factual account of ambition and betrayal. Based on a French graphic novel, this has Stalin’s successors portrayed by a myriad of comic talents with a myriad of accents. Steve Buscemi is Khrushchev, Jeffrey Tambor is on slimy form as Malenkov and Simon Russell Beale plays Beria. All are venal and out for themselves with Jason Isaacs bluff Northern Major joining forces against Beria, Rupert Friend’s idiot son being idiotic, and Andrea Riseborough’s wife struggling to retain her sanity. Paddy Considine, Paul Whitehouse and Michael Palin are just a few more of the starry cast that turn what could be comedy non-starter into a heady, sweary Russian broth. Iannucci as ever allows the structure to seem loose but is ultimately precise. Political absurdity has not altered with time and amidst the hilarity the bloodshed and stupidity of political wrangling and the greed for power remain skewered targets. Laugh out loud funny, comrade.
Opens Oct 20