Review of Disobedience (2018) by Matthew D — 25 Jul 2018

The best film from 2018!

Disobedience is a beautiful romance that portrays a forbidden love hidden away within a strict Jewish community. It rivals other excellent LGBTQ romance films like Blue Is the Warmest Color or Carol. I loved it.

Director Sebastián Lelio flows effortlessly from scene to scene with his delicate hand. His cinematography is as beautiful and creative as his last film A Fantastic Woman. Lelio is establishing himself as one of the world's finest and most thoughtful filmmakers. I eagerly look forward to his future projects.

Musically, composer Matthew Herbert captures the intimate calm in Disobedience's quiet passion lovingly with his gorgeous score. He also manages to express the forbidden and secret nature of the film's subject matter with haunting swells and disquieting melodies. This is nuanced scoring as its finest.

I must mention Rachel McAdams delivers perhaps her greatest performance as an actress. She is so subtle in her facial cues and longing glances. Her body language, eye movements, and vocal delivery are immaculate. Similarly, Rachel Weisz is so heartfelt and engaging as the lead actress in Disobedience. You just immediately feel her emotions through her expressions and tender line delivery. Disobedience boasts two powerhouse leading actress performances.

Lastly, I should also give praise to Alessandro Nivola for his supporting role as Rabbi Dovid Kuperman. He is expressive and solitary, but lends more nuance in his portrayal of spirituality, duty, and kindness. Disobedience has a truly special cast.

In all, Lelio has crafted my favorite film of 2018 with Disobedience. It is a sweet romance with bitter drama and feels so realistic. I hope you see it and appreciate this wonderful piece of art.