Holy Rollers ***
As plots go, Kevin Asch’s one in Holy Rollers seems far fetched to say the least; an Orthodox Jew becoming an Ecstasy dealer and getting involved with an Israel drug cartel – sounds like the director was on drugs himself. But it also serves as one of the most compelling and unquestionably original ones to date, and is inspired by a remarkable true story.
Cashing in on the awards nods to Jesse Eisenberg from The Social Network fame, Asch’s film serves as an intriguing next step in Eisenberg’s career, bolstering the talents of this fine actor, who gives another impressive, understated and cerebral peyot-wearing performance in the lead. Eisenberg’s brand of banter is explorative and engaging in itself, and gives his character, Sam Gold, more than an ounce of credibility.
However, much as the film’s concept has a lot of depth and endless possibilities, it all feels like a slightly underdeveloped insight into the dramatic choice between an insular or conformist lifestyle and reasons for the subterranean activities of a few in the Jewish faith. There are never any satisfactory explanations of why Hasidic Jew Gold, Yosef Zimmerman (Justin Bartha) and others become so disillusioned with their religious existence, except to fall back on the easily accepted ‘being led astray’ by contemporary pleasures, or being spurned. It could have been more rounded a film to further explore the conflicts of the two worlds colliding, through the experiences of Sam.
In addition, although highly atmospheric with some mood-inducing cinematography and smatterings of dark humour, Asch’s film has no defining moments to pinpoint the change in Sam’s shaky belief system, other than a constant rebel streak bubbling away on the surface that never leads to any explosive reveal. It just feels content to glide along, hoping to engage its audience, and if it wasn’t for Eisenberg being his usual quirky and mildly entertaining self, would feel uneven with its polar locations and rather erratic.
As novel as the material seems, Eisenberg fans will gain the most from watching Holy Rollers. Therefore, as a coming-of-age character piece of fine acting that the actor is famed for and excels at, it serves its purpose. As an informative real-life crime tale on a fascinating piece of publicly unknown history, it leaves you seriously wanting.
3/5 stars
By @FilmGazer
by lgileskeddie
