Disobedience (Sydney Film Festival Mini Review)

Films typically represent a protagonist's journey. They move from A to Z, fighting their way through various obstacles. They end a different person from when we began. Except here in Sebastián Lelio’s follow up to the Oscar-winning A Fantastic Woman, Disobedience. Here the most compelling arc lies in one of the supporting characters.

Like Lelio’s previous work strong female characters (who also identify as LGBTQI) lead the narrative. Disobedience’s narrative is kicked off by a death of a person who is close to the lead character like A Fantastic Woman. Instead of solely dealing with the death and being an outcast Disobedience also contains a rekindling love story. Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams fell in love as teenagers and as the daughter of a Jewish rabbi Weisz moves to America. After the Rabbi’s death, she returns home to find out that McAdams has married one of her father’s understudies. From the get-go, we can tell that this love has lasted the distance and time but neither character materialises it as they’re afraid of the conservative Jewish community. As they start to grow closer again McAdam’s husband is offered the position of the new Rabbi.

Because the two women have each other they really only have to stand up against the Jewish community. No inner conflict in either of them is really present or engaging. A couple of scenes really try to drive home how the community believes in the family structure and the role of women. It just comes off as lazy writing. Two women falling in love and being turned away from the rest of the world is nothing new in queer cinema. It’s also a cheap way to get the audience to sympathises with the leads. This idea is one reason queer cinema doesn’t make a lot of progress in my view. Too often they go this route where if they presented a relationship that was celebrated the same way a straight couple would it be more relatable for heterosexual people. You’re also not going to win anyone over to supporting (or at least accepting) LGBTQI members of society.

On a technical level, this film lacks the subtly in the editing that was present in A Fantastic Woman. In that film, there were moments that, while they flowed, felt just off. Moments that would be easily missed by a mainstream audience aren’t here. These cuts substantially help the film as they gave us a look into the lead in a way that dialogue couldn’t. The pacing of the film is also quite slow at some points. At one point I thought there were about 30 minutes to go but I check the time and there is still an hour. The cinematography seldom did anything memorable and the moments that do go for the more aesthetically pleasing look fall flat as they haven’t been backed up by the rest of the movie.

One thing that would’ve benefited the film would be a more playful discovering of the two women’s love in the vein of Call Me By Your Name. While that film was about two young people and this one about people in their 30s it still could’ve been spiced up with subtle flirting and sending each other coy hints. There are three simple steps that are followed here.

1. Meet after a long time

2. Rekindle love

3. Do what they should with life.

It’s ultimately predictable and flat.

The one saviour of the film is the performance of the two leads. Both bring interesting chemistry to a film that overall lacks any. The other interesting performance is where the film’s most interesting arc is. In McAdams’s husband, the up and coming Rabbi. He has to deal with someone changing their fundamental, outgoing identity. If the film took on his perspective more it would be an interesting view to take on. The challenges he faces end up defining the final act and more of the lead up would help us care about it more.

While this film moves slowly and could use a bit more creativity in the writing department it’s saved by two fine actresses. Unlike recent queer films such as Moonlight, Call Me By Your Name, Carol, Blue is the Warmest Colour, etc. it won’t be breaking any new ground.

Overall Score: 4/10

Disobedience is playing at Sydney Film Festival and has a limited release on the 14th of June.

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Writer/Director: Sebastián Lelio

Based on book by: Naomi Alderman

Starring: Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, Alessandro Nivola

Cinematography: Danny Cohen

Editor: Nathan Nugent

Music: Matthew Herbert