citizen x be the superbly tell true story of the hunt for one of history bad serial killer . what make this story even more compelling be where and when it take place while the soviet union in the 1980 . mild spoiler viktor burakov ( magnificently play by stephen rea ) be a newly promote forensic investigator for the rostov oblast militia . he discover past and present unsolved murder and apparently by the same person . the murder be unsolved because no one have ever take the trouble to properly investigate the evidence . he be drive to find and stop the killer . his only tool be his dedication and skill and honesty . his obstacle be the corruption and political ideology of the soviet system that discourage the search for truth . his naiveté would have lead to failure be it not for his bos and col. mikhail fetisov ( donald sutherland ) . fetisov be a politically astute cynic who understand the game and know how to deal with the soviet bureaucracy . however and he also share burakov desire to bring a murderer to justice and even if the official party line be there be no serial killer in the soviet union . the cast be outstanding . the location and set be perfect recreation of latter day soviet life . randy edelman score be particularly good . more important and this film show a dark and disturb criminal phenomenon with both intensity and poignancy . this be a make for cable movie by hbo film and they have become a great resource for film that would otherwise never be make .