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.

Leon Bronstein is a young man who thinks he's the reincarnation of Leon Trotsky and he lives his life according to the way Trotsky lived by using his life as blueprint. Along the way he annoys his parents (he calls his dad a fascist) and takes on his school. Along the way he falls in love with an older woman, reawakens the drive of a radical lawyer and sparks his fellow schoolmates to get involved.

I saw this on the Tribeca Pay per view service. I was amused, and slightly disappointed. Its has some good performances, some great dialog and very strong sense of self. The trouble is that the film as a whole is very much like the main character, insisting on following a redetermined course as closely as possible. Yes there are small bits that break the mold, but for the most part the film follows a formula its already worked out. I hated that I could guess where it was going, it took the edge off the spontaneity.

Its a good film but I wanted to like it more. Its one of those really good films that just misses being great and ends up being disappointing.

Worth a look see on cable or as a rental.

(A side note the film follows points of Trotsky's life so much that part of me kept wondering if this was going to end as Trotsky did, however this is a feel good film and that was never going to happen)