"The Take," a stirring, idealistic documentary that examines the grassroots cooperative movement in financially devastated Argentina, raises basic questions about economics, government and human nature, according to New York Times film critic Stephen Holden.

The film's examples of defunct Argentine enterprises that have been taken over by workers and revived offer an uplifting picture of people working from the ground up to stabilize and revitalize the country's ruined economy.

The Forja auto plant, the Zanon ceramics factory and the Brukman garment factory are companies that were abandoned by their owners after the economic collapse.

As you watch their dismissed workers organize and struggle for legal recognition, you root for the success of the nascent Movement of Recovered Companies, as it's called.

At the end of the film, the signs of further growth seem encouraging.

The unanswered question that hangs over the documentary is: How far can this movement go?

After watching the film, your outlook will depend on the degree of your belief in humanity and your familiarity with history.

Whatever happens, the movement still faces an uphill battle.

This film will have a showing Monday, 7:30 p.m., at the Peace Center of Nevada County, upstairs at The Center for the Arts Annex, 316 W. Main St., Grass Valley.

Admission is sliding scale $4 - $10 and no one turned away for lack of funds. Contact the Peace Center at (530) 273-4030 or by e-mail, ncpeace@sbcglobal.net.

On the Web at www.ncpeace.org. A facilitated discussion follows the filming.