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Holy Rollers

6/10

Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Jason Fuchs, Justin Bartha, Ari Graynor, Q-Tip, Charlie Hewson, Elizabeth Marvel, Hallie Kate Eisenberg

Director: Kevin Asch

A slight but gradually more interesting true story centred on New York's Hasidic Jewish community. In the bleak and wintry Brooklyn of 1998, two young Hasidic men, Sammy (Eisenberg) and Leon (Fuchs) are recruited by Leon's brother (Bartha) as couriers for smuggling 'medicines for rich people' into America from Holland.

These are, in reality, Ecstasy pills.

Leon flees at the first intimation of the truth, but Sammy, discontented with life in his father's fabrics store, becomes intoxicated with the thrills and danger of his new life, as well as his employer's mistress (Graynor), to the extent where he even helps negotiate deals and fancies a full partnership in the business.

This isn't always exactly gripping, and, even at 87 minutes, it seems a tad long for its content. Another excellent performance from Eisenberg (the Oscar nominee from The Social Network), however, helps to keep the interest sparking on and off to the end of the story.

David Quinlan

USA 2009. UK Distributor: Crabtree Films. Colour by deluxe.
87 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: 15.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 0, Drugs 2, Swearing 2.

Review date: 03 Jul 2011