Child 44

Play trailer

2:17

Child 44

R

2015

2h 17m

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

History

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

30%

Tomatometer

84 Reviews

42%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

In the 1950s Soviet Russia, secret police agent Leo Demidov loses everything when he refuses to denounce his wife, Raisa as a traitor. Finding themselves exiled to a grim provincial outpost, Leo and Raisa join forces with Gen. Mikhail Nesterov to capture a serial killer who preys on young boys. They soon find that their investigation threatens a system-wide cover-up enforced by Vasili, Leo's psychopathic rival.

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Critics Consensus

There's a gripping story at the heart of Child 44 and a solid performance from Tom Hardy in the lead, but it all still adds up to a would-be thriller that lacks sufficient thrills.

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Alissa Wilkinson

Christianity Today

Apr 23, 2015

2/4

In the end, the film lacks an imagination, and that unfortunately winds up dragging it through the mud.

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Jonathan Romney

Observer (UK)

Apr 19, 2015

1/5

Hardy is very odd, as usual.

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Donald Clarke

Irish Times

Apr 18, 2015

2/5

The story is a confusing bore that leads achingly slowly to a solution as perfunctory as it is implausible.

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Brigit Grant

Daily Express (UK)

Nov 21, 2024

3/5

Demidov knows better. His transformation from committed Communist to compassionate citizen is Hardy’s gift to a film that rambles on but works well as a thriller while conveying the bleakness of life behind the Iron Curtain.

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Jordan Brooks

Vague Visages

Aug 3, 2023

A Kafka-esque condemnation of Stalin’s government ham-handedly plopped into a John le Carré spy thriller, Child 44 is ambiguous cinematic fluff.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Aug 19, 2022

4/5

A unique and compelling procedural that I found satisfying even in its messiness.

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Oaklee D

@ODie63 Jul 31, 2026

I wanted this to be more murder mystery than it ended up being.

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Victoria K

@BellTG Apr 4, 2026

I simply love this movie Amazing, just amazing Great story, Tom Hardy is great as usual, the wagon scene I love it Highly recommending it, great love story, real life events and yet greatly supported by human imagination.

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James W

@RT87579900 Mar 21, 2026

A delectable cross between Dr. Zhivago and Gorky Park. The passion and calling out of Russian life of Zhivago, and the intrigue and calling out of Russian life. 👍👍👍👍

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Argyle T

@Argyle Jan 16, 2026

If you've read the book this film doesn't do it justice at all, the film is ok on its own merits but you miss the deep meaning of the book entirely and are left wanting more

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Ian R

@RT23899272 Jan 15, 2026

Fans of Tom Hardy who haven't yet had enough of him might like this film. I'm a bit fed up with him. In addition the film is too slow and let down by the ending to be enjoyable.

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HotRod D

@HotRodD Dec 30, 2025

I had high hopes for this movie! A star filled cast and a good story! What could go wrong? I wasn’t invested in the characters and the pacing of the film was unusually slow. I couldn’t get into it. If you’re the type of person that falls asleep during a movie. Then this one will knock you out 20 minutes in. I’d bet a different editor could recut this into a better movie but that’ll never happen

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Daniel Espinosa

Director

Tom Hardy

Leo Demidov

Gary Oldman

Gen. Mikhail Nesterov

Noomi Rapace

Raisa

Joel Kinnaman

Vasili

Paddy Considine

Vladimir Malevich

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Synopsis

In the 1950s Soviet Russia, secret police agent Leo Demidov loses everything when he refuses to denounce his wife, Raisa as a traitor. Finding themselves exiled to a grim provincial outpost, Leo and Raisa join forces with Gen. Mikhail Nesterov to capture a serial killer who preys on young boys. They soon find that their investigation threatens a system-wide cover-up enforced by Vasili, Leo's psychopathic rival.

Director: Daniel Espinosa
Producer: Ridley Scott, Michael Schaefer, Greg Shapiro
Screenwriter: Richard Price
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
Production Co: Scott Free Productions
Rating: R (Language|A Scene of Sexuality|Some Disturbing Images|Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama, History
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 17, 2015, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 26, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.2M
Runtime: 2h 17m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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