Is the greater sin to defy God, or defy your true nature? It’s not a question that’s asked directly in “Disobedience,” but lingers at the edges of the turmoil that slowly simmers into passion and penitence, in a story that turns a colorful premise into a thoughtful rumination on choice. Set inside the conservative community of Orthodox Judaism, Sebastian Lelio’s graceful adaptation of Naomi Alderman’s novel is a probing look at the illusion of freedom in both religious and secular life, and the bracing reality faced by two women when the relationship between them sparks back to life.
When Ronit (Rachel Weisz), a portrait photographer living in New York City, learns that her father Rav, a revered rabbi and community leader, has passed away, she temporarily numbs the pain in booze and sex, before boarding a plane to London. It’s an indication how far afield she is after being long estranged from her family and the Orthodox Jewish community in Hendon where she was raised, and her return is nearly a provocation. Her presence is politely tolerated, but she’s largely perceived as an outsider who has abandoned both her faith and father. Ronit has been disconnected for so long, she’s surprised to learn her former friends Dovit (Alessandro Nivola) — who became Rav’s spiritual son, and protegé — and Esti (Rachel McAdams) are now married. However, Ronit and Esti have a surprise of their own — a long buried connection that will be rekindled, and unravel the orderly world around them.
Beautifully penned by Lelio and Rebecca Lenkiewicz (“Ida”), the drama slowly melts the emotional and physical distance between Ronit and Esti, earning the potent, passionate fireworks that eventually light up. Yes, there will be a lot of conversation about that sex scene, which is already drawing comparisons to “Blue Is The Warmest Color.” However, while this sequence is equally intimate, it’s far less explicit, and the eroticism drawn not from love finally consummated, but from long repressed desire finally boiling over. It’s a necessary narrative and character moment, that moves the drama further into its second act, and sets the stage from the intersection of its thematic concerns which all start threading together in the back half of the picture.
The elegance of “Disobedience,” which in the wrong hands could be sensational and one-dimensional, cannot be overstated. While Ronit has had a superficially freer life, it’s Esti who arguably better understands what’s at stake. She genuinely loves her job as a teacher, her community, her traditions — things she can all lose entirely — and is certainly aware that Dovit’s life is on the precipice of imploding depending which way she turns. As the title suggests, Ronit and Esti are faced with ultimately disobeying some segment of their lives to pursue something they both don’t want to let go of again. Meanwhile, Dovit also grapples with reconciling and giving Esti the ultimate freedom she seeks, even at the cost of his own well-being and standing in the only world he knows.
If the writing finds the complicated dimensions at each perspective of this triangle, the gorgeous score by electronic musician Matthew Herbert emphasizes it, with orchestral work that is both sharp and warm. And that music surrounds a trio of terrific, empathetic, evolving performances. Weisz’s Ronit wears a brittle exterior, one that eventually melts, even if she keeps herself protected from being hurt by leaving Esti with the responsibility of where their future will land. McAdams’ Esti refuses to let Ronit off the hook, and the complications now present in her once structured life are something she endures with a stoicism that erodes as it becomes more difficult to deny her feelings. Lastly, Nivola’s Dovit tries to balance the humiliation he feels with the conflicted concern he feels his wife, a woman with whom he believed he was building a future with.
After the transcendent “Gloria,” and this year’s already buzzworthy “A Fantastic Woman,” Lelio once again shows a remarkable sensitivity to the challenges women face, particularly those who are marginalized by their age or identity. While on an aesthetic level, “Disobedience” leaves much to be desired, with the work of cinematographer Danny Cohen (“Room,” “The Danish Girl,” “Florence Foster Jenkins”) proving mostly functional at best, Lelio nonetheless crafts a drama that’s both sensual and spiritual, deeply moving and tender. There are no easy answers in “Disobedience,” and even after the difficult decisions are made, Lelio knows that accepting the consequences are the next challenges to be faced by Ronit and Esti. It turns out if you defy God, or the true nature of your heart, you may need to turn to them again to find to solace. [B+]
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