The Trotsky


The Trotsky is a 2009 Canadian comedy film directed and written by Jacob Tierney and starring Jay Baruchel, Emily Hampshire, Colm Feore, Saul Rubinek, and Michael Murphy.

Plot

student Leon Bronstein believes that he is the reborn incarnation of the socialist revolutionary Leon Trotsky, whose birth name was Bronstein. Shortly after he starts to work in his family's clothing factory, he attempts to unionize the workplace with such actions as a hunger strike. He is pulled from his upper-class private school by his father and sent to the public school system. There, he continues his quest to live out Trotsky's activism as he attempts to unionize the students, as he is pitted against the strong-willed principal Mr. Berkhoff. Meanwhile, he seeks romance with older McGill University graduate student Alexandra.

Cast

As part of the plot, Ben Mulroney plays himself, the host of etalk, interviewing "Leon Bronstein".

Production

Shooting for the film began in Montreal on 27 August 2008 at Lakeside Academy.

Release

The film was first previewed at the Toronto International Film Festival 11 September 2009. In the United States, it was screened at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival. Its general Canadian release was on 14 May 2010.

Reception

Critical Response

The Trotsky received mostly favorable reviews from critics. The Toronto Star gave The Trotsky a positive review, particularly of the cast. Another positive review from Montreal's The Gazette noted the "inspired, often-dangerously-funny screenplay" of the "too-talented" Tierney, likening the film to Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes the film has a rating of 79% based on 14 reviews, with an average rating of 6.9/10.

Box office

The Trotsky grossed $440,000, against a production budget of C$6.4 million.