57
Metascore
6 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThe New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisImmersed in the alien beauty of the Kazakh steppe, "The Gift to Stalin" moves slowly but engages thoroughly.
- 60Village VoiceVillage VoiceAlternating between impressive and pedestrian shot-making, professional and amateurish acting, the film aims for gravitas and entertainment but only occasionally achieves either.
- 50New York PostV.A. MusettoNew York PostV.A. MusettoBeautifully filmed and well-acted, "The Gift to Stalin," directed by Rustem Abdrashev, has its schmaltzy, cliched moments, including an unnecessary finale in Jerusalem.
- 50IndieWireIndieWireThe Gift to Stalin could have benefited from a less complex approach, something that would've actually hit the notes the filmmaker had aimed for. Unfortunately, he needed to try it all. Little of it succeeds, which can be rather draining at times, and not in the way he intended it to be.
- 40Time OutDavid FearTime OutDavid FearThe historical tragedy that's dramatized is heartrending; the movie itself is merely one cliché piled atop another.