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Our take
The officials scrambling for power after Stalin's death are funny until someone is dragged away or shot. The Death of Stalin keeps that cruelty close to its jokes. Executions, near-constant f-words, heavy drinking and a sexual abuse thread make it a 16+ film for us, with room to talk about the history afterwards.
Uplifting themes
The film exposes how fear and power twist people, which can start a smart talk about politics. No one comes out looking good, and the cruelty is the whole point It gives older teens a way into Soviet history, though events are rearranged and exaggerated for comedy. A parent can help separate fact from satire
Story (may spoil tone)
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?
What we flagged
Details
Violence People are shot, beaten, or dragged away because their names are on a l…
People are shot, beaten, or dragged away because their names are on a list, and a crowd is gunned down early on. The killings are sudden, cold, and played deadpan, which does not soften them. Torture is hinted at in several scenes
Language The f-word is almost constant, along with the s-word, p-word, and crude…
The f-word is almost constant, along with the s-word, p-word, and crude insults about sex and body parts. Nearly every scene has strong swearing, often in the middle of a joke
Sex / nudity Crude sexual jokes and insults are part of the humour, and a few kisses…
Crude sexual jokes and insults are part of the humour, and a few kisses show up. There is no explicit sex scene or nudity, but sexual talk is common
Drugs / alcohol Characters drink vodka at meals, meetings, and funerals, and some are d…
Characters drink vodka at meals, meetings, and funerals, and some are drunk while making big decisions. There is no drug use, but heavy drinking is constant and casual
Frightening The fear of arrest, secret police, and death lists hangs over almost ev…
The fear of arrest, secret police, and death lists hangs over almost every scene. A sudden raid and a brutal interrogation stay tense even though the tone is comic
Sexual violence A powerful official is shown to prey on young women, and the film inclu…
A powerful official is shown to prey on young women, and the film includes a distressing scene of a girl taken to his home. Other characters accuse him of rape in blunt terms
Bullying / discrimination Fear and humiliation are used as political tools. Characters mock, thre…
Fear and humiliation are used as political tools. Characters mock, threaten, and bully each other for power, and prisoners are tormented. Smears about so-called immorality are used to crush people
Gore / death / weapons Corpses pile up and blood pools on floors and in the snow. Several head…
Corpses pile up and blood pools on floors and in the snow. Several head shots and execution scenes show clear wounds, though the camera moves on quickly each time
Grief / bereavement A state funeral frames the story, with crowds of mourners and speeches.…
A state funeral frames the story, with crowds of mourners and speeches. The grief is mostly staged for power, but one or two characters show real loss
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
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Talk after watching
- How can a comedy still show how frightening a dictatorship is?
- Why do the jokes make some scenes funnier and others harder to watch?
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The Death of Stalin
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