Holy Rollers (2010)

• Year: 2010
• Released: 23 Dec 2010
• Country: United States
• Adwords: 2 wins & 2 nominations
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1143896/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/Holy_Rollers
• Metacritics: https://www.metacritic.com/movie/holy-rollers
• Available in: 720p,
• Language: English, Hebrew
• MPA Rating: R
• Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
• Runtime: 89 min
• Writer: Antonio Macia
• Director: Kevin Asch
• Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Bartha, Danny A. Abeckaser

	5.8/10
	51/100
	52% – Critics
	33% – Audience

Holy Rollers Storyline

1998 Brooklyn. Twenty year old Sam Gold is a Hasidic Jew. He lives at home with his parents and younger siblings. Along with Leon Zimmerman, his friend and next door neighbor, he is studying to become a rabbi, although, unlike Leon, he would rather go into a business as he does not want to be a financial burden to his family. Despite his father believing that a primary focus in life on money leads to no good, Sam convinces him to let him work in the family fabric store in Manhattan in conjunction with his studies. Sam also has his marriage sights set on Zeldy Lazar, and asks his family and temple leaders to set the process in motion. But when the Lazars ultimately decide that Sam is not an appropriate match, Sam believes it is because of the money situation. So when Leon’s older more progressive brother Yosef, who seems to have lots of money, asks Sam to go into business with him picking up medication from Europe for wealthy patients, Sam agrees. It isn’t until he and Yosef return from what seemed to Sam to be their highly secretive trip to Amsterdam that Sam finds out that the job actually is as an illegal drug mule. Despite Sam’s initial horror, he gets sucked into what seems to be a path to quick wealth, a path of which he does not tell his family. Sam quickly impresses and thus ingratiates himself into the graces of his and Yosef’s boss, Jackie Solomon, and Jackie’s girlfriend, Rachel Apfel, both non-practicing Jews, although Yosef warns Sam of the fine line of being on Jackie’s good and bad sides, that line which is being smart but not too smart. If it comes to a point of choosing one life or another, Sam may not be able to go back if he chooses his new illicit life.

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Holy Rollers Movie Reviews

drug smuggling in unexpected settings

Kevin Asch’s “Holy Rollers” tells the story of a group of Hasidic Jews recruited as mules to smuggle ecstasy from the Netherlands to the United States. In addition to the main story, there’s also a look into the Hasidic world. The main character Sam Gold (Jesse Eisenberg) is expected to marry a woman chosen for him, and he is shown to be afraid to touch a woman not chosen for him. The movie shows the Hasidim having a lifestyle very similar to the evangelical Christians. The look at Sam’s life keeps the audience interested in him, but most of the characters aren’t really developed enough. Even so, the movie mostly held my attention, both as a look at the drug smuggling story, and a look at the Hasidic culture. Worth seeing.

needs more likability

It’s 1998 Brooklyn. Sam Gold (Jesse Eisenberg) is an Orthodox Jew. He works in his father’s fabric store. He wants to marry Zeldy Lazar but he doesn’t have the money. His friend Leon’s brother Yosef (Justin Bartha) offers him a job. He asks Leon to join him. They get tricked into smuggling ecstasy from Amsterdam to New York for Israeli Jackie. Sam rises in the organization recruiting other Orthodox Jews. Rachel (Ari Graynor) is Jackie’s brassy girlfriend.

I would have liked Sam to be a good guy corrupted into this world. The problem is that he’s a money-grubbing selfish kid to begin with. They’re also a bit too stupid at the start. As for a crime drama, there is limited drama. It’s not that exciting. The premise offers some potential but it’s not that compelling.

Good movie thanks to Eisenberg’s brilliant performance, above all

This relatively short (1h 25min) movie is inspired by actual events in the 1990ies when Hasidic Jews were recruited as “mules” to smuggle ecstasy from Europe (mostly from The Netherlands) into the United States. The introductory part of the screenplay, however, is too long – I mean the events prior to smuggling process. On the other hand, the movie gives a good overview of customs and habits of Orthodox Jews – definitely interesting for non-Jews – and manners of recruiting people for illegal trafficking. The club scenes seem a bit lengthy though… Well done anyway, and the director Kevin Asch won the Breakthrough Director Award at the 2010 Gotham Awards.

Jesse Eisenberg gives his best performance so far – and so different from the one in Social Network, for which he has been praised higher. His interpretation of Sam/Schmuel Gold, a mild-manner 20-year old youngster gradually becoming a smuggling activist, is so convincing and at times funny – although there is always tough and troubled background visible. Justin Bartha, Ari Graynor and Danny Abeckaser are also worth mentioning, going with the atmosphere.

A recommendable movie – and a warning against involvement into illegal trafficking and drug use.