The Wizard of the Kremlin has premiered in Venice with its stateside distribution yet to be determined. French filmmaker Oliver Assayas (Clouds of Sils Maria, Personal Shopper) casts Paul Dano as a fictional artist turned government official working alongside Jude Law as the very real Vladimir Putin during his younger years as he rose to power. Costars include Alicia Vikander, Will Keen, Tom Sturridge, and Jeffrey Wright.
More than one critic is saying this feels like a miniseries packed into a runtime of just over two and a half hours. They don’t mean it as a compliment as write-ups are mixed to negative with 46% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Based upon the acclaimed debut novel from Giuliano da Empoli, the cinematic version’s only legit shot at awards attention is Law’s performance and perhaps Makeup and Hairstyling when considering the actor’s transformation to the Russian leader. A two-time nominee in supporting for 1999’s The Talented Mr. Ripley and lead with 2003’s Cold Mountain, the Academy could reward him for taking on a risky role. I just suspect the meh reaction could hinder that possibility, but let’s see how many competitors emerge in the coming days and weeks. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…
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