Holy Rollers (DVD)

In one way we’ve seen this all before; an innocent but ambitious and bright lad needs some money and becomes involved in a drug-smuggling ring, rises to near the top and comes crashing down with disastrous consequences. What makes this one very different and watchable is its setting, the Orthodox Jewish community in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. It’s a fascinating tale, clearly based on real events, and Eisenberg’s performance matches his work in The Social Network. It also has a consistent visual style; dark, grimy with splashes of neon light.

Eisenberg plays Sam Gold, who works for his father’s materials shop, hangs out with his next-door neighbour and suffers excruciating meetings with prospective wives, sitting dumb on a sofa for what seems like an eternity. His older neighbour Yosef realises Sam is a bright boy, and sends him over to Amsterdam to pick up some ‘medicine’, for a fat fee. Sam, with little other prospect of making any cash, agrees, and completes the deal. Slowly but surely he realises that the medicine is in fact ecstasy, but also realises that his Jewish ‘uniform’, and the fact the drugs are foil-wrapped, make him seemingly immune to customs at New York airport. His trips get more and more frequent, and he becomes more involved in the firm supplying them.

Inevitably in these films – think Sienna Miller in Layer Cake – he falls for the gangster’s moll, and they make a pact to run away together, but it goes, of course, disastrously wrong. Worse comes when Sam’s father works out what his son is doing, and effectively disowns him. Sam suddenly realises while he might have cash and a good brain, without friends or family his life is meaningless.

It’s a fascinating film, as in one way it’s totally obvious which way it’s going, but it’s always engaging and fascinating for a glimpse into a little-seen aspect of American Jewish life. Sam clearly poses no physical threat but uses his sharp mind and social skills to get through some tricky situations, especially when dealing with a machine-gun toting owner of the factory in Amsterdam where the drugs are manufactured. As he slowly rises up his arrogance starts to show, and his downfall is as heart-stopping as it is inevitable.  Excellent performances all round and a superb dark look to the film, especially in a brutal New York winter, make this a left-field treat.

Overall Verdict: Unusual drug thriller based on a true story, with great acting and feel to it. It ends rather abruptly but it’s something of a secret pleasure.

Special Features:
Exclusive UK only interview with Jesse Eisenberg
Cast and crew commentary
Deleted scenes
Justin and Jesse Interview
Trailers

Reviewer: Mike Martin