The Death of Stalin

Right now you can watch The Death of Stalin in Australia on Netflix, and in the US on Hulu and Philo — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. 2,157 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Steve Buscemi sets the tone, and the rest of the cast matches it scene for scene. Put it on tonight on Netflix and see for yourself.

The Death of Stalin arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The Death of Stalin does what great comedies rarely manage — it is actually funny, consistently, across the whole run. When dictator Joseph Stalin dies, his parasitic cronies square off in a frantic power struggle to become the next Soviet leader. As they bumble, brawl and back-stab their way to the top, the question remains — just who is running the government? Steve Buscemi and Simon Russell Beale lead a cast with the timing to make it work. It was released in 2017. The timing in The Death of Stalin is precise enough that even the throwaway lines land on a second watch. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Comedy fans looking for a reliably funny watch will find it in The Death of Stalin. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Steve Buscemi's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.