Disobedience: this Sebastián Lelio drama is a slow-burning and sad affair, but one that allows a look at a seldom portrayed world and its prejudices (which are, of course, similar to the usual ones). The central characters are engaging and interesting, well defended by the good cast, all in quiet, subdued performances. Rachel Weisz balances convincingly the defiance and sadness of her character; Rachel McAdams is equally fine as the more repressed counterpart; Alessandro Nivola is OK when he acts small, but is less convincing on a few louder moments. Cinematographer Danny Cohen’s images are visually cold, washed-out, as if to suggest that color, sun and life itself were sucked out of that place. There are a few beautifully executed traditional Jewish songs throughout the film which complement the story nicely.
