The Trotsky
title: "The Trotsky" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["2009-films", "2009-comedy-films", "english-language-canadian-films", "canadian-political-comedy-films", "cultural-depictions-of-leon-trotsky", "films-about-communism", "films-directed-by-jacob-tierney", "films-set-in-montreal", "films-shot-in-montreal", "2000s-english-language-films", "2009-canadian-films"] topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trotsky" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox film"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | The Trotsky |
| image | The Trotsky poster.jpg |
| caption | Theatrical release poster |
| director | Jacob Tierney |
| producer | Kevin Tierney |
| writer | Jacob Tierney |
| starring | {{Plain list |
| music | Malajube |
| cinematography | Guy Dufaux |
| editing | Arthur Tarnowski |
| studio | Portman Entertainment Group |
| distributor | Alliance Films |
| released | |
| runtime | 120 minutes |
| country | Canada |
| language | English |
| budget | C$6.4 million |
| (US$5.9 million) | |
| gross | $440,000 |
| :: |
| name = The Trotsky | image = The Trotsky poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = Jacob Tierney | producer = Kevin Tierney | writer = Jacob Tierney | starring = {{Plain list |
- Jay Baruchel
- Emily Hampshire
- Colm Feore
- Saul Rubinek
- Michael Murphy | music = Malajube | cinematography = Guy Dufaux | editing = Arthur Tarnowski | studio = Portman Entertainment Group | distributor = Alliance Films | released = | runtime = 120 minutes | country = Canada | language = English | budget = C$6.4 million (US$5.9 million) | gross = $440,000
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
High School student Leon Bronstein believes that he is the reincarnation 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. The school is run by the strong-willed principal Mr. Berkhoff and overly disciplinarian vice-principal Mrs. Davis. During his first day at school Leon witnesses Davis giving students detentions for minor offences. After school he joins the detained students in solidarity. He goes on to encourage a revolution of a sort in the school as he leads students in a fight for an influential students' union. Meanwhile, he seeks romance with an older woman, law-school graduate student Alexandra, whose personal profile is similar to a woman who figured prominently in Trotsky's life.
Cast
- Jay Baruchel as Leon Bronstein, a 17-year-old high school student
- Domini Blythe as Mrs. Davis, Leon's vice-principal
- Geneviève Bujold as Denise Archambault
- Anne-Marie Cadieux as Anna Bronstein, Leon's loving stepmother
- Jesse Camacho as Skip, Leon's school friend, Sarah's (eventual) boyfriend
- Colm Feore as Principal Henry Berkhoff
- Emily Hampshire as Alexandra Leith, new law school graduate, Leon's (eventual) 27-year-old girlfriend
- David Julian Hirsh as Eli, Leon's married brother
- Tiio Horn as Caroline, Leon's school friend
- Ricky Mabe as Tony, Leon's school friend
- Michael Murphy as Frank McGovern
- Jessica Paré as Laura, Alexandra's friend
- Tommie-Amber Pirie as Sarah Bronstein, Leon's younger sister
- Saul Rubinek as David Bronstein, Leon's father
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.
References
References
- (September 2009). "The Trotsky". [[Toronto International Film Festival]].
- Kelly, Brendan. (26 August 2008). "The Tierney revolution is coming!". [[The Gazette (Montreal).
- (15 March 2010). "The Trotsky makes U.S. debut at Tribeca". [[CBC News]].
- Farquharson, Vanessa. (October 2025). "The Trotsky's Jay Baruchel: On moviemaking, microphones and mom tattoos". [[National Post]].
- Barnard, Linda. (13 May 2010). "The Trotsky: Revolution for the teenaged masses". The Star.
- Kelly, Brendan. (14 May 2010). "Review: The Trotsky".
- "The Trotsky (2010)". [[Rotten Tomatoes]].
- "The Trotsky (2010) - Financial Information". [[The Numbers (website).
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