Holy Rollers, a musing on faith vs. blind faith

Holy Rollers, B+

Holy Rollers is a character drama about faith, or faith vs. blind faith. The best part about this film for me is Kevin Asch’s patient unobtrusive camera. Instead of throwing in stylistic flourishes and overcomplicating things like so many first time directors do, he really just lets the world exist and lets the actors drive the emotions of the film.

         Holy Rollers is about a Hasidic Jew named Sam, played excellently as always by Jesse Eisenberg, who kind of has to choose between the pure religious life of his family and the decadent high paying drug-peddling lifestyle of his friend Yosef, played surprisingly well by Justin Bartha (humorous sidekick Riley in National Treasure). While Sam is happy with the comfort of his family, he also wants money so that they can have a better life.  

An Interview with Screenwriter Antonio Macia, on his Sundance 2010 film Holy Rollers starring Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Bartha

Here is my conversation with Antonio Macia, the screenwriter who penned the 2010 Sundance film Holy Rollers. His first film, Anne B. Real, was nominated for two Independent Spirit awards including the John Cassavetes Award (awarded to a film with a budget under $500,000), and Best Debut Performance (Janice Richardson). His film Holy Rollers, newly on Netflix Instant Watch, is a story about a young Hasidic jew (played excellently by Jesse Eisenberg) who is seduced into smuggling ecstasy by his neighbor Yosef (played equally well by Justin Bartha, who's famous for his role as Riley in National Treasure). Expect a review of Holy Rollers to follow in the coming week. 

Brandon: You’re the son of South American immigrants, you served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and you’ve studied in Paris, Madrid and Argentina. You then made your first movie about a young female rapper, which you were nominated for at the Independent Spirits. What drew you to a story of Hasidic Jews in NYC?

Antonio: Yes, I was interested by Hasidism, but ultimately, I knew that I could never do that world justice. I could do my best at ‘getting the facts’ right, but there are so many different sects. I was interested in Hasidism as an insular society, but I’m always asking myself ‘Why?’ I didn’t want to recreate a stereotype, but paint a real family with real problems.