Holy Rollers

“Holy Rollers” is inspired by actual events in the late nineties when Hasidic Jews were recruited as mules to smuggle ecstasy from Europe into the United States. Sam Gold (Jesse Eisenberg), a young Hasid from an Orthodox Brooklyn community reluctantly follows the path his family has chosen for him, awaiting a pending arranged marriage and studying to become a Rabbi. A charming neighbor, Yosef Zimmerman (Justin Bartha), senses Sam’s resistance and propositions him to transport “medicine” for Jackie (Danny A. Abeckaser), an Israeli dealer, and his girlfriend, Rachel (Ari Graynor). Sam quickly demonstrates his business skill to his bosses, who instantly take Sam under their wing. Now exposed to the exciting and gritty worlds of Manhattan and Amsterdam nightlife, Sam begins to spiral deeper into their detrimental lifestyle, experimenting with ecstasy and then falling for Rachel. As the business grows, Sam’s double life begins to rip his family apart and the community becomes suspicious of his illegal activities. Sam slowly comes to realize the façade behind the easy money and parties. Caught between life as a smuggler and the path back to God, Sam goes on the run, forced to make a fatal decision that could bring the entire operation crashing down.

"…funny, deft, and sharp" - Dana Stevens, Slate.com
http://www.slate.com/id/2254518


“…an often evocative dip into unique territory fleshed out by a highly convincing cast…” – Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-et-capsules-holy-rollers-20100521,0,2969838.story


"Holy Rollers ranks as one of the year’s top independent films" – Leonard Maltin’s Movie Crazy
http://blogs.indiewire.com/leonardmaltin/archives/film_review_holy_rollers


"The director opted for the character study route. The theme deals with a young man struggling between two very different worlds and two completely opposite paths.” – Neil Rosen, NY1
http://www.ny1.com/content/ny1_living/movie_reviews/


“In the time-honored tradition of “The Godfather” and “Scarface,” Kevin Asch’s “Holy Rollers” combines two favorite American genres, the striving-immigrant success story and the cautionary drug tragedy.” – Mike Hale, New York Times
http://movies.nytimes.com/2010/05/21/movies/21holy.html?partner=Rotten%20Tomatoes&ei=5083


“…the ethnic details are so complex, intense and authentic…”

“…made beautiful by Eisenberg’s guileless youth.” – Armond White, New York Press
http://www.nypress.com/article-21236-holy-rollers.html


“Yosef (Justin Bartha) is great…”

“Eisenberg is peerless at playing man-boys who overintellectualize and fall over their own feet…”

“Bartha is irresistibly good-bad company” - David Edelstein, New York Magazine
http://nymag.com/movies/reviews/66024/index1.html


“…smartly rendered and beautifully shot feature-length directorial debut” - Ellen Carpenter, Nylon