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Independence and assimilation at the 2010 Boston Jewish Film Festival

But that's way in the future. For now, he's organizing a strike at his dad's factory, where he's working for the summer. That doesn't go well, so back in school, he tries to organize his fellow students into a union. At first, they are mocking and indifferent, but gradually Leon's Marxist agenda catches on. (Hard to see this happening in an American high school.) Revolution, it turns out, is more fun than going to the mall, and a lot sexier. A fusion of dialectics and John Hughes, The Trotsky succeeds with its silly premise because of a top-notch cast. In particular, Jay Baruchel in the title role proves an inspiring and very funny leader, and the absurdity gives way to a stirring climax.

And what of those real Marxists who were teenagers during the Soviet era and had to make the transition to the rough and ready capitalism of present-day Russia? Robin Hessman's outstanding documentary MY PERESTROIKA (2010; MFA: November 14 @ 4:15 pm) profiles five such individuals. For these Russians, the '70s were kind of like our '50s, and the '90s were kind of like our '60s. But now, over 40 and disillusioned, all five find that the spirit of both the '70s and the '90s has been replaced by a culture that celebrates the worst aspects of Western materialism. Some succumb to the times and conform and even thrive; others soldier on, clinging to their beliefs. Whether Jews or non-Jews, these hard-liners still treasure their ideals and the solidarity of those who share them. They know they can't betray those ideals without denying who they are.