Drama, Romance  •  2018  •  114 min  •  Adults (18+)

Disobedience (2018)

Disobedience poster

Disobedience (2018)


Rating & Dimensions

Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Leans Progressive
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
LGBTQ: Positive
Family Values: Strongly Progressive
Judaism: Positive

Viewer Rating
7.3

Overview

Disobedience follows Ronit, a photographer who returns to the Orthodox Jewish community in London that shunned her after her father's death, and reconnects with Esti, the woman she loved as a girl. Directed by Sebastián Lelio, the film is a quiet but pointed drama about desire, faith, and the cost of belonging. The Leans Progressive label follows naturally. The central lesbian romance is treated with full emotional weight and dignity. The Orthodox setting is portrayed with respect toward Judaism itself, but the community's rules function as the antagonist force pressing against individual identity. Family structure, gender expectations, and sexual autonomy are all questioned rather than affirmed.


Starring Cast

Rachel Weisz  •   Rachel McAdams  •   Alessandro Nivola


Where to watch

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Detailed Bias Analysis

Analyzing...
Leans Progressive

Primary

Political: Leans Left
Confidence: Medium

The film explores the profound conflict between individual freedom and the strictures of religious tradition, particularly through the lens of a forbidden lesbian relationship. It champions self-determination and the assertion of personal identity against communal expectations.

Diversity: Moderate
Confidence: Medium

The film's casting aligns with traditional portrayals for its specific cultural setting. The narrative, however, offers a strong and explicit critique of traditional gender roles and heteronormative expectations within a conservative religious community, making these themes central to the story.

Secondary

LGBTQ: Positive
Confidence: High

Disobedience explores a forbidden lesbian romance within an Orthodox Jewish community, portraying the characters with dignity and emotional depth. The film highlights the external societal and religious pressures faced by the women, affirming the worth of their love and their pursuit of authentic identity despite significant obstacles. The narrative respectfully depicts their complex journey and choices.

Family Values: Strongly Progressive
Confidence: High

The narrative critiques the restrictive nature of traditional family structures and gender roles within a religious community. It champions individual autonomy and normalizes same-sex relationships, depicting a woman's choice for personal freedom over established familial and societal expectations.

Judaism: Positive
Confidence: Medium

The film offers a deeply nuanced and respectful portrayal of an Orthodox Jewish community, exploring its rich traditions, strong communal bonds, and the profound faith of its members. While it highlights the personal struggles and conflicts arising from the community's strict interpretations of religious law, particularly concerning women's roles and sexuality, the narrative consistently extends sympathy and depth to its adherents. The film ultimately champions individual agency and the search for personal truth within a complex religious framework, without undermining the inherent dignity of the faith itself.

Trans: N/A
Confidence: High

Disobedience, 2018, does not feature transsexual characters or themes. The film explores a forbidden romance between two cisgender women within an Orthodox Jewish community, focusing on themes of sexuality, faith, and individual freedom versus communal expectations.

Female Combat: N/R

The movie does not contain any action or adventure elements.

Gender Swap: No
Confidence: High

The film Disobedience features characters whose on-screen portrayals align with their established genders from the original narrative. No instances of characters previously defined as one gender being depicted as another are present.

Race Swap: No
Confidence: High

Disobedience (2018) adapts a novel featuring characters within an Orthodox Jewish community. The film's casting of lead roles aligns with the implied racial background of these characters as established in the source material. No instances of characters canonically established as one race are portrayed as a different race.


Viewer Rating Breakdown

7.3

Viewer Rating

Combines user and critic ratings from four sources

User Ratings

IMDB logo
6.6
The Movie Database logo
6.9

Critic Ratings

Rotten Tomatoes logo
8.4
Metacritic logo
7.4

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