Disobedience

        When her rabbi father dies, Ronit returns to her Orthodox Jewish community in London, years after she was turned away for having a teenage romance with another female friend. Once home, she is reunited with Dovid and Esti, her childhood friends.

               Ronit, or Ronni as she calls herself in the secular world, is played by Rachel Weisz, Dovid is played by Alessandro Nivola, and Rachel McAdams plays Esti. The relationship between the three characters is beautifully played, loving, yet strained and all three actors are striking in their roles. The chemistry between Ms. Weisz and Ms. McAdams, in particular, is stunning.

               The film is a glimpse into Orthodox Jewish life with quite a twist. It is a sensitive drama that examines love, religion, and freedom of expression. At times, fragile and yet bound by an intensity that is palatable, the film moves towards an inevitable conclusion that is both surprising and a bit ambiguous.