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Child 44
2015 137 min United States of America R 16+
★5.4
Crime, Thriller
Director: Daniel Espinosa
📖 Based on the novel
«Child 44»
byTom Rob Smith
Trailers
Description
Set in Stalin-era Soviet Union, a disgraced MGB agent is dispatched to investigate a series of child murders -- a case that begins to connect with the very top of party leadership.
Budget:
$50M
US Gross:
$1.22M
Worldwide:
$12.95M
Starring
Tom Hardy
Actor
Gary Oldman
Actor
Noomi Rapace
Actor
Awards
2 nominations total
Key opinion
Child 44 is widely viewed as a flawed and disjointed thriller that struggles to balance its ambitious historical setting with a standard procedural narrative. While the cast is frequently praised for their committed performances, the film is heavily criticized for its reliance on Cold War stereotypes, historical inaccuracies, and a poorly paced script.
| Acting | The film features a strong, high-profile ensemble cast whose performances are considered the primary highlight of the production. | |
| Screenplay | The script is widely criticized for being incoherent and over-reliant on superficial Cold War tropes and historical falsehoods. | |
| Pacing | The narrative balance is problematic, struggling to reconcile a gritty police procedural with broader political intrigue and regime-focused horror. | |
| Production | Opinions on the film's atmosphere are polarized: some viewers appreciate the grim, authentic recreation of the Soviet era, while others find the visuals clichéd, bleak, and unconvincingly staged. | |
| Culture | The film’s historical depiction is divisive, with some praising its willingness to confront dark aspects of the era, while many others condemn it as an offensive, propagandistic, and inaccurate portrayal of the USSR. |