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Romantic drama

Disobedience (2018): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Disobedience (2018) movie poster

Disobedience is a 2018 romantic drama directed by Sebastián Lelio, starring Anton Lesser as Rav Krushka, Rachel Weisz and Alessandro Nivola. It is based on Disobedience by Naomi Alderman. It runs 1 hour 54 minutes and earned $8 million worldwide on a $6 million budget. Critics gave it 84% on Rotten Tomatoes and 74 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.6/10.

IMDb rating
6.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes
84%
worldwide gross
$8M
Echo Score
82
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Disobedience (2018) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 54m (114 min)
Director
Sebastián Lelio
Genres
Drama , Romance
Original language
English
Budget
$6M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Disobedience About?

The premise of Disobedience without spoilers, adapted from Disobedience by Naomi Alderman. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A woman returns to her Orthodox Jewish community after a long absence, reopening old wounds and challenging deeply held beliefs. Reconnecting with a childhood friend, she finds their bond rekindled, leading to a forbidden attraction that threatens to disrupt the established order. The story explores themes of faith, identity, and the complexities of love within a traditional society, as she confronts the reasons she left and the consequences of her return.

Disobedience Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • lesbian relationship
  • lesbian sex
  • jewish community
  • lesbian love
  • lesbian affair
  • lesbian
  • female nudity
  • infidelity
  • orthodox jew
  • funeral
  • wife has an affair with another woman
  • orthodox jewish community
+38 more
  • woman in love with female friend
  • jewish tradition
  • female star appears nude
  • scandal
  • london england
  • female topless nudity
  • lesbian attraction
  • lesbian desire
  • lesbian passion
  • homophobia
  • religious opression
  • casual sex
  • in love with childhood friend
  • lesbian sex with clothes on
  • passionate lesbianism
  • bisexuality
  • bisexual woman
  • jewish
  • mutual masturbation
  • naked breasts
  • married woman seduces single woman
  • woman fingering another woman's vagina
  • simulated lesbian cunilingus
  • lesbian wife
  • sex starved wife
  • female masturbation
  • lesbian fingering
  • cemetery
  • wig
  • misogyny
  • lesbian interest
  • lesbian cuckold
  • jewish shiva
  • extramarital affair
  • caught kissing
  • synagogue
  • wife cheating on husband with a woman
  • unhappy wife
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Cast & crew

Disobedience Cast & Characters

Anton Lesser leads the cast as Rav Krushka, with Rachel Weisz as Ronit Krushka and Alessandro Nivola as Dovid Kuperman. Directed by Sebastián Lelio; 18 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Disobedience

· 14 more
From the director

More from Sebastián Lelio

More films directed by Sebastián Lelio, best-rated first: A Fantastic Woman, Gloria Bell, Gloria and The Wonder.

Full filmography
Ratings

Disobedience Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Disobedience 84% on Rotten Tomatoes and 74 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.6/10. Our Echo Score gives it 82/100, strongest in character & emotion (85) and weakest in story & flow (72).

82 /100

Disobedience Echo Score Breakdown

In overall terms, Disobedience’s most notable strength lies in its confident visuals and emotive performances, which combine to deliver a meditative exploration of faith and desire. While critics noted occasional narrative inertia and a restrained tone that limits dramatic peaks, the film’s deliberate pacing and cohesive visual grammar support its thematic depth. Emotional authenticity emerges through measured character interactions and nuanced direction. Though its modest momentum may challenge some viewers, the film leaves a lingering impression through its thoughtful approach.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 82

    In terms of art and craft, the film excels in its unhurried visual compositions and disciplined direction, punctuated by striking framing and careful color choices. Cinematography earns consistent praise for capturing intimate moments with clarity, although a few critics found the direction lacking momentum. Production design and editing reinforce the solemn tone, creating a cohesive aesthetic. Overall, the visual craftsmanship underpins the film’s contemplative mood.

  • Character & Emotion 85

    When it comes to character and emotion, the film benefits from deeply attuned performances that convey internal conflict with subtlety. The three leads deliver nuanced portrayals of repressed longing and communal pressure, generating palpable emotional stakes. While some viewers desired fuller character arcs, the restrained deliveries accentuate the story’s seriousness. Overall, character work drives the narrative’s empathy and sustains its emotional authenticity.

  • Story & Flow 72

    In terms of story and flow, Disobedience offers a thematically rich examination of faith, desire, and tradition, anchored by moral complexity. Critics and audiences praised its originality in depicting religious conflict, though many noted a subdued pace and moments of narrative inertia, especially in the third act. Pacing choices sometimes hinder engagement but underscore the film’s contemplative intentions. Overall, its deliberate rhythm supports the thematic exploration.

  • Sensory Experience 80

    Regarding sensory experience, the film unfolds with an understated but effective soundscape, featuring soft musical motifs that complement the hushed dialogue. Visual styling is marked by subdued lighting and a restrained color palette that reinforces the solemn atmosphere. Sound design maintains clarity and balance without overwhelming emotional beats. While subtlety may limit overt dramatic impact, the sensory cohesion enhances the introspective tone.

  • Rewatch Factor 78

    In terms of rewatch factor, the film’s layered emotional stakes and careful visual cues invite subsequent viewings. Viewers may discover new subtleties in performances and composition upon reevaluation. Although its modest pacing can feel slow on first watch, the thoughtful direction and thematic depth reward attentive audiences. Overall, its lasting appeal derives from the interplay of character nuance and visual restraint.

Plot

Disobedience Plot Summary

What happens in Disobedience from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In a Jewish Orthodox Synagogue located in Hendon, the weakened Rav Krushka (Anton Lesser) collapses while delivering a sermon. As the funeral rites begin in London, his estranged daughter Ronit Krushka (Rachel Weisz) is leading her life as a photographer in Manhattan. In the midst of a photo shoot, she receives devastating news from the Brooklyn Synagogue about her father’s death, leading her to drown her sorrows in alcohol at a nearby bar, where she ends up sleeping with a stranger.

Full summary

The whole story of Disobedience, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Disobedience Box Office & Budget

Disobedience grossed $8 million worldwide on a $6 million budget, 1.3 times what it cost. $3.5 million came from the US and Canada and $4.5 million (56%) from the rest of the world.

2018 box office

Worldwide gross

$8M

1.3× its budget

US & Canada
$3.5M
International
$4.5M
Budget
$6M
US & Canada 44% Rest of the world 56%
Videos

Disobedience Trailers & Videos

10 videos: 2 trailers, 2 teasers, 5 clips and 1 featurette.

All 10 videos
DISOBEDIENCE | Official Trailer | In theaters April 27
  • Trailer Disobedience | Official UK Trailer | Curzon
  • Teaser DISOBEDIENCE | "Obey"
  • Teaser Disobedience | In Cinemas & On Demand 30 November
  • Clip DISOBEDIENCE | "We Weren't Expecting You" Official Clip
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Disobedience?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who is the main character who returns to London after her father's passing?

Details

Disobedience Also Known As

30 alternative titles, including “Nepovinoveniye” and “디서비디언스”.

Also known as
  • Nepovinoveniye
  • 디서비디언스
  • Desobedencia
  • ロニートとエスティ かのじょたちのせんたく
  • Неподчинение
  • A rabbi meg a lánya
  • Désobéissance
  • Неповиновение
  • Ulydighed
  • 離經叛愛
  • Tottelemattomuus
  • שאהבה נפשי
+18 more
  • Desobediência
  • 违命
  • 叛逆性百合
  • Olydnad
  • Nieposłuszne
  • Ulydighet
  • Desobediencia
  • İtaatsizlik
  • Ανυπακοή
  • Neposlušnost
  • Ungehorsam
  • Nepaklausība
  • Nesupunere
  • Непокора
  • Neposlušnosť, დაუმორჩილებლობა
  • ロニートとエスティ 彼女たちの選択
  • Nepaklusnumas
  • เสน่หา....ต้องห้าม

Seen Disobedience?

FAQ

Disobedience FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and post-credit scenes of Disobedience, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Disobedience?

Disobedience runs 1 hour 54 minutes (114 minutes).

When was Disobedience released?

Disobedience was released on April 27, 2018.

Who directed Disobedience?

Disobedience was directed by Sebastián Lelio.

More films by Sebastián Lelio

Who is in the cast of Disobedience?

Disobedience stars Anton Lesser as Rav Krushka, Rachel Weisz as Ronit Krushka and Alessandro Nivola as Dovid Kuperman, among 18 credited actors.

How much did Disobedience make at the box office?

Disobedience grossed $8 million worldwide ($3.5 million domestic, $4.5 million international) on a budget of $6 million.

How is Disobedience rated?

Disobedience has 6.6/10 on IMDb, 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, 74 on Metacritic and 69% on TMDB.

Is Disobedience based on a book?

Yes. Disobedience is adapted from Disobedience by Naomi Alderman.

Does Disobedience have a post-credit scene?

No. Disobedience has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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