Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
Cast: Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, Alessandro Nivola, Anton Lesser, Allan Corduner, Nicholas Woodeson, David Fleeshman, Steve Furst, Trevor Allan Davies, Sophia Brown, Clara Francis, Lisa Cohen, Cara Horgan, Liza Sadovy, Bernice Stegers.
Sexuality and faith have never been reliable bed-fellows, the angst that exists between the two states of human need and suffering is only countered by dogma and the words of interpretation; to be different, to love against doctrine and the word of theological study, is to face, in some quarters, questions, if not exile.
It is therefore a beautiful unveiling of both camps and the peace, if at least not happiness, that can come in the form of social acceptance by one who has made it their life’s work to study a word of their God, who for what ever reasons may have found the subject matter at the heart of Sebastian Lelio’s and Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s film adaptation of Naomi Alderman’s novel Disobedience difficult to reconcile with their faith.
A touching story of love between two Jewish women, and their reunited friendship is one that the cinema goer cannot but help find themselves immersing themselves into, even if the world of ritual is one that is alien to them.
It is the raised eyebrows of the older community’s faith which is shaken by the re-appearance of Rachel Weisz’ Ronit Krushka after many years of self-imposed exile, her father’s death a catalyst in which to explore deeply buried feelings for her teenage friend and to confront her own emotions about her father and his position as a spiritual leader of the Jewish population in his area.
Whilst the film is tender, it is also in some ways, quite graphic in its detail, an exchange of love which is endearing, almost poetic in its symbolism, takes a turn in which perhaps didn’t need to be shown; that aside, the electricity between the two female leads of Ms. Weisz and Ms. McAdams feels genuinely free and passionate, their overall performances as two young lovers forced apart is only bettered by Alessandro Nivola’s characterisation of the young Rabbi and husband of one of the women, a powerful presence throughout the film and who tries to understand through his teaching the love he cannot truly comprehend.
With great performances from Nicholas Woodeson, Allan Corduner and David Fleeshman in supporting roles, Disobedience is a marvellously presented film about faith and love, a drama which captures the heart of acceptance, even if you cannot understand the feelings drawn upon. A film that has no half measures, open and free to explore the situation in full.
Ian D. Hall