CHILD 44 (2015)

Glad my reviews are brief; keeps me from turning this write-up into a smarmy tribute to Tom Hardy - who, let's face it, may be the most talented actor working today.  Child 44 adds another formidable notch to his belt; here he plays Leo Demidov, a dedicated military police officer in Stalin's Soviet Union, circa 1953 ... until, disgraced over an incident involving his wife, Leo finds his safety further hampered when he sets his mind to solving a string of child murders in a land where such crimes don't exist, and are therefore written off as "accidents" in an all-is-well, pro-Stalin Russia.  Despite increasing threats, Leo works behind the scenes to solve the horrible crimes, even as the killer continues unabated, in a film that so perfectly captures the isolation, desperation, and rampant paranoia of the Soviet Union at the time, the suspense builds tight as piano wire as you watch Leo heading toward redemption ... or doom.  Incredible performances, led by the flawless Hardy, make this mesmerizing to watch. (rated R)  A-