DISOBEDIENCE (2017)

The Intersection of Faith and Forbidden Desire: Disobedience (2017)

Cinema has a long history of depicting the clash between rigid religious dogma and personal liberation. However, very few films navigate this delicate intersection with the profound empathy and nuanced restraint found in Sebastián Lelio’s Disobedience (2017). Adapted from the acclaimed novel by Naomi Alderman, the film is a quiet, devastating exploration of what it means to choose your own path in a world that demands conformity. It is a story where love is not merely a romantic pursuit, but an act of spiritual defiance.

The narrative revolves around Ronit (Rachel Weisz), a successful, secular photographer living in New York who is called back to the insular Orthodox Jewish community of North London following the sudden death of her rabbi father. Her return is met with icy politeness; she is the prodigal daughter who abandoned her faith. The tension immediately centers on her reunion with Dovid (Alessandro Nivola), her father’s spiritual successor, and Esti (Rachel McAdams), Ronit’s childhood friend who is now Dovid’s devoutly observant wife. What begins as a mourning period quickly unearths a deeply suppressed, passionate history between the two women.

A Triptych of Empathy

The brilliance of Disobedience lies in its refusal to vilify the Orthodox community. In a lesser film, Dovid would be painted as a cruel, tyrannical patriarch holding Esti hostage. Instead, Nivola plays him with agonizing humanity—a man who deeply loves his wife and his faith, suddenly paralyzed by a reality he cannot understand. The conflict is not inherently good versus evil; it is the collision of three fundamentally decent people trapped by the parameters of their beliefs.

Rachel McAdams delivers what might be the performance of her career as Esti. Beneath her modest clothing and composed demeanor is a woman quietly vibrating with repressed desire. She has spent her adult life trying to mold herself into the perfect wife and believer, viewing her attraction to Ronit as an affliction to be cured through prayer. When Ronit returns, Esti’s carefully constructed world begins to violently crack. The contrast between Ronit’s loud, defiant freedom and Esti’s quiet, suffocating obedience creates a magnetic, undeniable tension on screen.

The Color of Confinement

Director Sebastián Lelio and cinematographer Danny Cohen use the visual language of the film to underscore the emotional states of the characters. North London is painted in drab, oppressive grays and muted blues. The rigid structures of the community are reflected in the framing; the characters are often shot in tight, confined spaces, boxed in by doorways and heavy wooden furniture. It isn’t until Ronit and Esti escape to a generic hotel room—a space completely devoid of history, religion, or community judgment—that the color palette warms, and the camera finally allows them to breathe.

The film’s opening scene features Ronit’s father delivering a sermon on free will, establishing the thematic core of the movie. He states that humans are unique because, unlike angels who are bound to obedience, humans have the capacity to choose. Therefore, to be human is to struggle. By the film's breathtaking conclusion, Disobedience suggests that stepping outside the rules—choosing a life of authentic truth over mandated conformity—is not a rejection of the divine, but the ultimate realization of free will.

Why We Curate This Masterpiece

At Sharing The Sickness, we focus on films that challenge the viewer and explore the complexities of the human condition. We do not host these files; rather, we proudly embed this stream to ensure this vital piece of cinema remains accessible. Disobedience is a masterclass in subtlety and emotional intelligence. It does not offer easy answers, but it offers profound grace.

Stream the embedded broadcast of this beautifully crafted drama, and witness a story that proves the most radical act a person can commit is to simply be true to themselves.

Frequently Asked Questions About Disobedience (2017)