Olivier Assayas plunges the viewer into the final years of the Soviet Union and the start of the Russian Federation with confidence and precision in this political thriller which premiered at this year's Venice Film Festival. Paul Dano leads a tightly-calibrated cast as the fictional Vadim Baranov, a theater director-turned-TV executive, spin doctor and Kremlin kingmaker to Vladimir Putin (played by Jude Law, continuing his recent career resurgence) as the Russian premier makes his unstoppable rise to power. Calibrated performances guide the viewer through a period of time which sets the scene for where Russia is today. Alicia Vikander, Tom Sturridge and Jeffrey Wright co-star in this ink-black comedy based on the 2022 novel of the same name. "This film contains scenes that may be considered sensitive for some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised"