This curious little film is inspired by actual events in the late nineties when Hasidic Jews were recruited as mules to smuggle ecstasy from Europe into the States. Sam Gold (Jesse Eisenberg) is a young Hasid from an Orthodox Brooklyn community who reluctantly follows the path his family has chosen for him that includes awaiting an arranged marriage and studying to become a Rabbi. His rebellious neighbour Yosef (Justin Bartha) senses Sam’s resistance and offers him the chance to make some big bucks by transporting ‘medicine’ for murky Israeli Jackie (Danny A. Abeckaser) and his gorgeous girlfriend Rachel (Ari Graynor). Along with Sam we are then transported from the grotty New York streets to the even grottier, yet more exciting, canals of Holland’s capital.
This unusual coming of age drama flits easily between humorous situations and soul searching scenes about following Jewish traditions but never quite decides what it wants to be. The acting is superb and it is shot nicely but by the end it feels like a worthless journey. As we see Sam turn from devout teen with a taste for money, to an adult shorn of his locks and embracing the Amsterdam club scene it is obvious that the highs must come down and they do so in muted fashion. The characters downfall is merely described by on screen text and may have been better if the audience had got to see how the authorities treated this unusual case but a final and quite touching scene between father and son is all that is offered.
An interesting oddity, this film excels in its enlightening glimpses into the lives of Hasidic Jews, which are fascinating. It cleverly portrays the hypocrisy of religion by showing that the elders seem more concerned about gossip in the community than the actual crimes being committed. The scenes of constant religious education also make it easy to see why Sam is drawn to the exotic and erotic Amsterdam nightlife but ultimately the caring bonds between family and religion are unbreakable. While it all feels a bit brief and formulaic this is by no means a bad film and was enjoyable to watch but by the end it seemed rather redundant. Perhaps it would have been more successful as a HBO TV movie as the thin plot doesn’t seem worthy of a theatrical release. That said, it was a pleasant enough way to spend 98 minutes.
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