No Dismay at Disobedience

Since I've been back from treatment, I've been on quite the movie kick. My count within a seven day period is reaching approximately eight...I'm very good at math and therefore I know that averages more than one per day. Yep, folks, no shame. No alcohol, no regret, no shame. Just lots of movies!

But let me not digress too early on.

Last evening I had the sheer pleasure of watching the absolutely wonderful film, Disobedience. My enjoyment of this film stemmed not only from the fact that both Rachels' (Ms. McAdams and Ms. Weisz) acting skills were superb nor the sole fact that I related to the Jewish community aspect nor the fact that the main story plot revolved around two women forbiddenly in love. My enjoyment and rave review of this film did stem from all these factors along with more.

The plot and film follows a woman, Ronit Krushka (Ms. Weisz), back to her childhood home in an Orthodox Jewish community in England, following the death of her father, the praised town rabbi. Ronit has not been back since her earlier childhood days, during which she and a female friend, Esti (Ms. McAdams) shared a young forbidden romantic relationship. Ronit was shunned from her community for the frowned upon forbidden relationship and had not since returned.

Little to Ronit's knowledge during her time away, Esti married their other third "best friend" of sorts, Dovid Kuperman. The learning of this unforeseen marriage hits Ronit head on in the face when she walks into the Shiva house to pay respects to her recently deceased father. "Who is Dovid's wife?" Ronit muses at first and upon learning the answer is Esti, her musing immediately ceases.

The nearly two hour film follows the days of the Rav's funeral in the community, the still-very-present passion and love between Ronit and Esti and the constant Esti-is-a-married-religious-lady-reminder of just how very "wrong" is the attraction between the two.

The film is shot with deeply human frames, slow and close camera angles (I am certain not done in vain given Ronit's photography profession), deep interpersonal connections that leap from the screen into the chest, and acting hard to surpass. No matter your religious beliefs, affiliations, sexual preferences or comfort level, this is definitely a film for the ages and one not to miss.

A+.