Disobedience (2018)

This film is very handsomely directed and executed, with some strong performances at its core, although it also feels like it could have been a truly great film had there been more to it. Overall it's definitely effective.

I wanted to like this movie. It's rare that A-list actresses sign on to play lovers, and rare to see romance between women on the big screen. But a lot of things didn't quite fit, from the editing, to the storyline, to the music, to the pacing.The score: whimsical at times, even in dramatic/tense scenes, which felt completely inappropriate. The score seemed like it belonged in a bizarre children's movie, but yet the singing scenes were very dark and sad/somber-sounding. This movie clearly took itself very seriously, so why the carnival music in parts? The cast: good acting overall, no complaints. The story: decent premise. A Rabbi's death brings together old flames in a strictly orthodox Jewish London community, and tensions rise, as well as feelings. But the end...no thanks. Editing/pacing: abrupt at times and feeling disjointed, yet also slow and lingering too long in scenes that dragged. So many directors think that if you are slow and have long, tedious scenes, you will be considered a genius for being artsy and understated. That just isn't how it works. Character development: eh. This movie really would have benefitted from more than just a few words about the past, but scenes depicting more of the history and story between the women. I want to see more depth with these women, but it does end up feeling one-dimensional due to the script and/or editing.In sum, even today, in 2018, 9 out of 10 movies about women who love each other end with suicide/murder, a woman going back to a man, a woman cheating on her partner with a man (or woman), or some other equally unforgivable outcome, and I say unforgivable because movie producers love to portray gay/bi women as tortured and unable to experience a healthy same-sex relationship. Guess which one this movie falls under, because I won't spoil it...My advice, skip this and re-watch Carol. I felt like this one wasted my time.

Ronit Krushka (Rachel Weisz) is a liberated woman living in New York City. She returns to her Orthodox Jewish community in London after her estranged rabbi father's death. There are conflicted feelings about the return of the rabbi's wayward only child. She's surprised to find her former best friends Dovid Kuperman (Alessandro Nivola) and Esti (Rachel McAdams) married to each other. Weisz and McAdams are two of the best actresses around and they deliver powerfully controlled performances. The first part is a bit slow. Mostly, that's due to the advertising that gave away its lesbian twist. The sex scene does have a quick awkward shot and I'm not enamored with the ending. This does have these actresses doing some big time lifting but the story doesn't have the highest of tension. Outside of the big three roles, this is a rather striped down movie.

McAdams and Weisz are exceptional in these roles. The introduction of their forbidden romance is neither overly drawn out in a lazy attempt to create tension, nor is it rushed. The whole film delicately and expertly balances spine-tingling chemistry and heart-wrenching moments.Reviews that claim the film to be slow are perhaps written by those with little patience, or watching only for the love scene. Recommend watching when in a calm headspace with heaps of time to dedicate to these superb performances. It's refreshing to see a film with two queer female leads unfetishized and end with a promise of happiness.