Jesse Eisenberg's other prominent, well-acted role this week is in "Holy Rollers," which has no connection with in-line skating, but is a standard tale of a minority (the Hasidic Jewish community in this case) trying to speed up its climb through the ranks of American society with a slick, but illegal idea. Think of dozens of Mafia movies, or "Double Indemity," or "Superfly."
Kevin Asch's feature film debut, from a story and screenplay by Antonio Macea, is based on a real incident, and on airport security's tendency to lax (as in "loose," not as in a Los Angeles airport) inspections of supposedly religious Jews in long black coats, equally long sideburns and wide-brimmed, fur-trimmed hats. Eisenberg is Sam Gold, a loving and hard-working son who wants to buy Mom a stove that works. His friend, Yusuf (an excellent performance by Justin Bartha), convinces him that smuggling pills, concealed in the hat brim, is a way to not only provide the stove, but also to become a wealthy, big-time player in a New York underground world.
Ben Kutchins' cinematography focuses on the gritty Brooklyn neighborhoods of Williamsburg and Crown Heights (where I grew up), and the mood is properly dark. Unfortunately, we've all seen this story many times, and while the faces and the clothes are different, this one ends just like all the others.
"Holy Rollers" opens today at the Tivoli
–Joe