Sundance delivers again with another story you just won't find anywhere else. Holy Rollers is based on actual events about Hasidic Jews who smuggle Ecstasy from Amsterdam to New York City. This is a movie loaded with questions about faith and tradition. And as someone who's not only questioned my religious upbringing, but also denied my spiritual heritage, I could relate to Sam, the young Hasidic Jew who cautiously embraces a job that forces him to consider life in a very different world.
The young actors in this movie are spectacular, with performances that are not only believable but lovable, even when they're breaking the law. Sure, I knew something bad would eventually happen and that the smugglers would have to get caught. But I found myself cheering for the drug dealers, I wanted them to get away with it. Ultimately, they all went to jail.
This is a classic Sundance film; it presents a wild ride of emotions from hilarity to immense sadness. And as is frequently the case at Sundance, this is a movie without distribution. So there's a good chance that if you didn't see it here you won't see it. And that's too bad.
It's like this generation's "The Chosen."
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