Holy Rollers Review

• 24th Oct 2011

Holy Rollers (2010) is based on the true story of a Hasidic Jewish drug ring which was responsible for importing over a million ecstasy pills in the late 90s. The film stars Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Bartha, of The Social Network (2010) and The Hangover (2009) respectively, both of whom were involved with the project at a very early stage.

The film follows Sam Gold (Eisenberg), a poor young Hasidic Jewish man who is hoping to soon be married. Though his family would like him to become a rabbi, this career path holds little interest for Sam, who simply craves the improvement of their lives through the attainment of wealth. An opportunity for this soon presents itself, when Sam’s rebellious friend Yosef (Bartha) recruits him into the world of ‘medicine’ importing. When Sam discovers that he has actually participated in illegal drug smuggling he is appalled and vows never to go back. However, when his dreams of marriage collapse, his bitter disappointment combines with his greed to propel him away from his modest roots and into an exotic life of crime.

Holy Rollers tells the typical tale of the corruption of man through desire. A man severely damages his key relationships by engaging in illegal activity and then either pays for his sins and is redeemed, or fails to repent and is destroyed. This narrative has been portrayed a million different ways since the early days of cinema, with actors ranging from James Cagney to Al Pacino, but has never really diminished in popularity. In this respect, it is fair to say that Holy Rollers ultimately retreads old ground.

Bartha plays the typical corrupting character solidly, as he charms and repulses in equal measure, but unfortunately his efforts cannot lift Yosef up to anything other than caricature. The only substantial female character is that of Rachel (Ari Graynor), the girlfriend of a rich drug dealer who wishes for another life but cannot bring herself to leave behind the easy money and jet-setting lifestyle which crime affords. Audiences will have seen these characters countless times before and although the roles are well performed, they are mere clichés which will ultimately leave viewers wishing for even the slightest spark of originality. However, the Hasidic Jewish backdrop does add something of a refreshing taste to this reliable genre piece. From the opening credit sequence, the film plunges the audience into a different world. Lingering shots of sparsely populated areas utilise a muted colour palette to establish the character of Sam’s town as quietly obedient. The film features an undeniably atmospheric score which initially reinforces this slow, stable and deeply religious tone, but later proceeds to smash it with quick cuts and pounding electronic beats.

Unfortunately, after managing to retain audience interest despite an almost rigid adherence to convention, the film falls at the final hurdle with an oddly abrupt ending. Just as viewers are given an opportunity to observe the dramatic culmination of events, they are jerked from what should have been a key sequence and forced to settle with a set of mediocre intertitles. These intertitles offer only basic information and lacklustre catharsis which will leave viewers dissatisfied.   

The DVD release provides very few additional features. These include short interviews with Eisenberg and Bartha which reveal little of interest, whilst a collection of deleted scenes are mostly comprised of dull continuity shots which fail to communicate anything of value. However, the commentary featuring the director and stars is extremely illuminating and highlights the financial constraints behind many key directorial decisions, including last minute location changes and unfortunate deviations from historic accuracy.

Despite quite a few clichés and a somewhat abrupt ending, Holy Rolers is a relatively solid retelling of a classic narrative which offers up an enjoyable 89 minutes, whilst the DVD commentary track will offer fans a valuable insight into the films production.

Sonia Zadurian