Review of Disobedience (2018) by Erin S — 19 May 2018

This movie is perfect in every way. i've seen it three times and with each rewatch I picked up on things I hadn't noticed the time(s) before. the chemistry is palpable and intense, the history of the characters is completely believable, the pace is perfect, the technicalities (direction, camera work, etc) are exquisite, the storytelling is nothing but compelling, the subtleties present in every scene are brilliant (and showcase incredible acting, especially by the rachels), the utilization of visual and emotional contrasts was deeply meaningful.

The dialogue was sparse and real and powerful, and I love that the film relied heavily on microexpressions and eye contact - it's a feat, certainly one not everyone can do well, but in this case it felt necessary and raw and honest and made the experience all the more moving. and the way the film portrayed esti's strength and agency in a way the book did not is something I appreciate immensely.

I'm not jewish and therefore can't speak to the accuracy of the portrayal of this orthodox jewish community, but I have read that the author of the book (who was raised in a community like the one portrayed), as well as several other jewish and ex-orthodox jewish people, approve of the execution of the film's portrayal, so I trust it.

There's a lot of talk about the sex scene between the rachels, which rachel weisz personally assisted with editing. I loved it. it, unlike the sex scene between esti and dovid, focused on pleasure instead of nudity. it was clear that with esti and dovid, esti was fully undressing out of obligation, and that her nudity and her body was for dovid's pleasure. her face during the scene hurt my heart. whereas with esti and ronit, the scene was solely focused on showcasing the pleasure on both of their faces. there was barely any nudity; instead it was all shaky breaths and moans and hands and glazed eyes. it was erotic, yes, but mostly it was highlighting the softness and communion between women who love women, which is the highest form of pure and holy human love, in my queer opinion. and the scene immediately following was delightfully tender and intimate.

Finally, the ending, while not classically happy or immediately gratifying, was hopeful. it made clear esti's and ronit's intention to be together in the future, as well as dovid's understanding. it also made clear that there was no villain, but rather that this story is about reconciling conflicting identities and choosing to embrace and nurture the identity that will bring the most fulfillment in life.

Overall: 12/10 would watch weekly for the rest of my life.