Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

This poster is one of my favorites from the last few years as is the documentary itself. I saw it awhile back but recently showed it to my family on a visit home for the holidays, they were as blown away as I was which is saying a lot for them. Aside from the artwork I had not heard anything about it and checked it out on a whim, in the beginning it seems like a sappy story about a guy who died and his best friend interviewing friends and family so that his infant son can "know" him. But that is far from what this movie is really about, we soon learn that baby Zachary's father was murdered by his psychotic ex girlfriend right before she discovers shes pregnant with Zachary. The filmmaker makes his way around the country interviewing but also unfolding a story of murder, a failed justice system and a families love for a child that is so strong they pack up their lives and move to Canada to fight for custody and reform the judicial system.

Dear Zachary: a Letter to a Son About His Father
Released 2008
Directed By Kurt Kuenne

Holy Rollers

Since I was a kid I always had a fascination with Hasidim, now I live in a city and area that serves as a mecca for many hasidic families from around the world. The garb, the germanic sounds of yiddish, the sea of sukkahs perched out from apartment buildings around Williamsburg have me wondering what is happening on the inside of this community. Its very rare that you can catch any sort of glimpse as to what is going on behind closed doors, to my knowledge there is only one documentary, "A Life Apart" which is actually pretty great but very outdated. Throughout the years there's been few well known controversies that have come out of the hasidic community but one of the biggest has to do with the introduction of ecstasy to the United States.

"Holy Rollers" is based on a true story, taking place during the nineties, hasidic jews from Brooklyn were recruited as drug mules to smuggle in ecstasy tablets from Amsterdam. Each person was paid roughly $1,500 and given a free trip to Europe in order to do this job, what young sheltered individual that will soon be providing for a family would want to pass that up? Especially when you are told you are merely transporting medicine or diamonds. The film follows Sam Gold a young hasidic man who is not content with his current life and profession. He is approached by his neighbor who claims to work in pharmaceuticals and offers him the chance to join him in traveling and making money. Even after he finds out what is really going on he goes further down the rabbit hole in a quest for happiness and independence. One of my favorite scenes seen above was did not use extras, instead they shot down a street in a hasidic neighborhood in Brooklyn capturing the true reactions of people walking by which gives a true sense of what it is like to be ostracized amongst this community.

I really enjoyed "Holy Rollers", Jesse Eisenberg sort of plays the same character we know him to be, shy, timid, quiet. But also exhibits desperation and characteristics of being a lost individual. Actress Ari Graynor really won me over as well, I have seen her here and there in a couple of things but she has a charm and realness to her that should be appreciated, but she was also able to give us a glimpse of what it is like to be one of those people who seem to be in control but really are just as lost and looking for something like the rest of us. Joseph Zimmerman does a good job of playing Sam's self absorbed neighbor and douche bag who is quickly spiraling out of control as well. Im a sucker for a movie based on true intense events and this was very satisfying. Click here for more info on the Hasidic Ecstasy Ring

Holy Rollers
Released 2010
Directed By Kevin Asch