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The Trotsky

The Trotsky (2010)

May. 05,2010
|
6.7
|
NR
| Comedy

Leon Bronstein is not your average Montreal West high school student. For one thing, none of his peers can claim to be the reincarnation of early 20th century Soviet iconoclast and Red Army hero, Leon Trotsky. When his father sends Leon to public school as punishment for starting a hunger strike at Papa's clothing factory, Leon quickly lends new meaning to the term 'student union', determined as he is to live out his pre-ordained destiny to the fullest and change the world.

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Reviews

BootDigest
2010/05/05

Such a frustrating disappointment

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Lumsdal
2010/05/06

Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

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Kailansorac
2010/05/07

Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

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Casey Duggan
2010/05/08

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

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jessicacoco2005
2010/05/09

Divided as individuals we fall.However united.. ♫♫The People United can never be defeated♫♫.Are you into teenage comedies? Do you like films that delve into activism? It's true it's a bit too long and could use some desperate editing near the middle to make the film flow better and keep one's interest. However, it's still one of the best teenage films ever. Better than Ferris Bueller's Day Off could ever be and with a great message. Even Stalinists and Anarchists can enjoy this film due to its revolutionary message, which stresses the importance of having vision and dedication along with the understanding that things can only change by organizing.Leon Bronstein believes he is the reincarnation of the revolutionary Leon Bronstein better known as Leon Trotsky. Despite the fact the main premise sounds somewhat silly. It works. We really do believe this confused young man's identity crisis. This Leon gives a whole new definition of Student Union. As Leon says in the film had sexually abused children had a student union they could have stopped the abuse.The film delves into the question of what constitutes a rebellious high school spirit: Is it the pot-smoker wearing the Che Guevara T-shirt or the dork who organizes his school? As well as delving into the real meaning of why revolutions fail? Apathy and the need to overcome it.The film shows that Goethe's famous line in Faust that "Despite all powers be not deterred" is a necessary ingredient to create change and that change is possible; that working people are capable of and responsible for their own liberation. Leon shows us that: Yes, we have the power to change the world. We just need the vision to do so. Is Revolution possible? Can Leon inspire his fellow students to take over the school? Viva la revolución! Long live the Revolution!

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prasanna85
2010/05/10

There are very few movies which would make your day better. The Trotsky is one of them. I believe it is criminally underrated and deserves a better rating. It is very well thought, very well written and has a decent third act, which justifies the running time. I was laughing and rolling over, when the reference to 'Battleship Potemkin' came on the screen. And there is even a 'Wrath of Khan' reference to.References aside, this movie doesn't glorifies or nullifies Trotskyism. Jay Baruchel really did a splendid job by bringing out that angry high school kid, who needs an outlet to speak out. This is a very sweet movie and should be never missed. I wish I saw when it was in theaters.

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lewiskendell
2010/05/11

"It's over. I'm not it. I'm not the man for the job."The Trotsky came out of absolutely nowhere. I don't even know how it appeared on my radar, but I'm glad that it did. It's quite the little gem. It's the story of a teenager (named Leon) from Montreal who believes he is the reincarnation of the Marxist leader Leon Trotsky, and believes that his life will follow that of his predecessor exactly. Right down to exile, relationships, and even cause of death. He finds his "great cause" in the plight of the students at the public high school that his father sends him too, and puts all his energy into forming a union for them.I found myself getting swept up into Leon's struggle against youth apathy very quickly, because he's such a likable character. Jay Baruchel plays him with his typical neurotic performance, but it works. You don't know how seriously to take him at first, but Leon believes so deeply in who he claims to be and what he's doing, that it's easy to let your disbelief go and just roll with it all. All the characters are pretty great, actually, and most of my enjoyment of the movie came from their interactions with each other.So yeah, I'm recommending The Trotsky wholeheartedly. Don't immediately write it off if you have no idea who Leon Trotsky is. It's just a very likable comedy, and it puts a fresh spin on the "high school movie". I enjoyed it.

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Daniel Carkner
2010/05/12

I read some really bad reviews of this movie before going to see it. In the end, I liked it better than I thought I would. However, a lot of the political humour is very basic and wouldn't make sense to people with more than a passing knowledge of communism, activism, etc.However, as a teen comedy, not to be taken seriously as a political film, it works very well for the most part. A lot of the scenes, acting, and one-liners are quite funny. Some of the acting done by secondary characters is not really up to par. Even Leon's character or that of his co-stars (his parents, principal, would-be wife, etc.) tend to be one-dimensional. I think this film could have been improved by occasional moments of self-reflection or doubt. As it is, Leon's character tends to come across as a quirky cartoon a lot of the time. Still, as a light form of amusement, it works quite well.

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