Disobedience (2017)

Based on the novel by Naomi Alderman, this film gives a glimpse into an extremely tight-knit religious community.

Rav Krushka (Anton Lesser) dies suddenly while delivering a sermon at synagogue in a community of strict Orthodox Jews in England.

His only child, daughter Ronit (Rachel Weisz) is a popular portrait photographer living and working in New York. When she receives news that her father has passed away, she leaves straightaway and flies back 'home', even though it has not been home to her for many years.

She has been all but completely ostracised from the small community for reasons I won't go into here (I don't want to spoil that revelation for you if you should choose to watch the film). Her father, the highly respected rabbi of the community, refused to acknowledge her for most of her life; the newspaper article that reported his passing named him as 'childless'.

Dovid Kuperman (Alessandro Nivola) and Ronit Krushka (Rachel Weisz).

When she arrives, she goes to the only place she can think of: the house of close friend Dovid Kuperman (Alessandro Nivola). He is surprised to see her again after so long, but welcomes her in nevertheless, inviting her to stay with him and his wife Esti (Rachel McAdams). He was the rabbi's best student, and is believed by many to be the next in line for the position.

The three of them had been very close when they were younger, and Ronit is surprised that Dovid and Esti ended up marrying one another. Ronit and Esti had been even closer, and as far as Ronit knew, Esti was only attracted to women.

As Ronit deals with the aftermath of her father's death, and struggles to even be recognised as family, she and Esti begin to rekindle their friendship from years previous, which quickly turns into something more, threatening to not only ruin her marriage, but tear the entire community apart.

Dovid (Alessandro Nivola) and his wife Esti (Rachel McAdams).

The screenplay is written by director Sebastián Lelio and Rebecca Lenkiewicz, adapted from Alderman's novel. I have not (yet) read the book, so am unable to comment on the finer points of the adaptation. However, the script is - in my opinion - fantastically structured. It is filled with well-rounded characters who are all filled with conflicts of many different kinds, and plenty of drama to keep you invested in the story from beginning to end.

Danny Cohen's cinematography is wonderful, the majority of the film shot with the camera in hand-held fashion. Though it is hand-held, it is not too jerky, but just feels more natural than a stationary camera on a tripod would do. There are plenty of interesting camera angles used as well; this is certainly not your typical film, at least not in the way it is shot.

I must mention the score as well, despite the fact there isn't much of it to comment on. Composer Matthew Herbert uses his music very sparingly throughout the film, and it is at no point distracting. The music is always well-suited to the emotional truth of what is going on at particular points, as opposed to just matching the physical action. Naturally, as the film deals more with emotional issues than physical ones, this use of music is perfectly suitable.

Esti (Rachel McAdams) lights the candles in preparation for the Sabbath, as
Ronit (Rachel Weisz) and Dovid (Alessandro Nivola) look on.

The performances of the cast are absolutely magnificent. It is difficult to identify a clear standout among the ensemble cast, but I will say that Rachel McAdams gives - without a doubt - the best and most heart-wrenching performance of her career.

Director Sebastián Lelio has made a beautiful film here, one that I was not especially aware of prior to reviewing it, but one that I'm sure I will enjoy more and more upon repeat viewings. There is so much in this film, and so much going on under the surface, and so much that goes unsaid between characters, that I think it would take a repeat viewing to be able to appreciate it on that deeper level. But even with just the one viewing (so far), I am able to appreciate that this is an amazing film.

10 out of 10.

The Danish Girl (2015)

Based on the novel by David Ebershoff, which was itself a fictionalised version of true events, this film tells the story of Lili Elbe, the first person to ever successfully undergo gender reassignment surgery.

Copenhagen. 1926. Famous Danish painter Einar Wegener (Eddie Redmayne) lives with his wife Gerda (Alicia Vikander). Einar's landscapes are celebrated by art lovers all over the country, while Gerda's portraits are still not receiving recognition; apparently, they are not of the right subject.

Her latest portrait is of their close friend, Ulla (Amber Heard), who is a beautiful young dancer. When Ulla is running late for a sitting, Gerda asks Einar if he will put on her stockings and shoes, just so she can finish up the feet in the painting.

But something still isn't right. Gerda needs Einar to hold the dress against his body, so she can see how the hem of the dress falls against the legs of the stockings.

While sitting there, something awakens in Einar, and he realises he is not the person he is meant to be, but that instead, he feels he is a woman trapped inside a man's body.

There is a party going on one night, to which Gerda and Ulla have both been invited. Gerda brings Einar along - dressed as a female and going by the name Lili - to keep her company. Gerda has begun painting portraits of Lili, which are gaining favour among the art elite.

Einar (Eddie Redmayne) poses for his wife Gerda (Alicia Vikander).

At the party, Lili is the talk of the moment, and a young man named Henrik (Ben Whishaw) seems quite taken with her. When Gerda sees the two of them kiss, she becomes incredibly jealous and tells Einar that this has to stop immediately.

But Einar - now exclusively living at home as Lili - isn't able to just switch this off. It isn't a phase, he tells her, nor is it a game; this is the person (s)he was always meant to be.

But in the 1920s, the word transgender - a common term these days - wasn't known, and the issues of gender dysphoria were certainly not discussed, or even fully understood. Gerda takes her husband from doctor to doctor, receiving diagnoses ranging from a chemical imbalance to perversion to schizophrenia.

It isn't until they discover unorthodox doctor, Professor Warnekros (Sebastian Koch) in Dresden, that Lili hears of a groundbreaking surgical procedure allowing her body to be brought into line with the way she feels inside.

Lili (Eddie Redmayne) and Gerda (Alicia Vikander) discussing what their
future as a couple will look like.

The screenplay, adapted from Ebershoff's novel by Lucinda Coxon, is absolutely beautiful. Every time I watch this film - and it's been a few times now - it makes me cry. The first time I watched it, I cried for the entire duration of the film, it's just such a beautiful and heartbreaking story.

The quality of the adaptation is superb. I have also read the novel, and while the novel is able to go into much greater detail of the inner workings of Lili's mind, the film must rely on external elements throughout. The novel also has much more graphic descriptions of Lili's various encounters with different men that could not have been depicted on film, and the filmmakers have dealt with this 'restriction' very well, while still keeping to the truth of the story and of the characters.

I only have to mention the name Alexandre Desplat, and you already know the score is going to be magnificent. There are a lot of sections of the score that feature only a solo instrument, primarily piano, and these are all perfectly suited to the sections of the film where they feature, not necessarily to the action on screen but rather the emotions of the characters in the scene.

Eve Stewart's production design is amazing. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her work on this film - she sadly didn't win - and the reasons for her nomination are plainly clear to anyone watching. The recreation of 1920s Copenhagen is flawless; Copenhagen is an absolutely beautiful city even today, and it photographs incredibly well.

Gerda (Alicia Vikander) supporting Lili (Eddie Redmayne) as she recovers
from gender reassignment surgery.

This seems like an ideal moment to mention the cinematography. Cinematographer Danny Cohen has also done an amazing job of capturing life in Copenhagen, and later in the film Paris and Dresden. His use of light - and skill in contrasting light and dark - is amazing; the film is a joy to watch not only from an emotional standpoint, but from a visual one, too.

The performances of the cast, in particular Redmayne and Vikander, are fabulous. Redmayne's portrayal of femininity is brilliant, and earned him a nomination for an Academy Award. Vikander actually won the Academy Award she was nominated for for her role in this film, an award which was well deserved.

Another reason this film always makes me cry is Alicia Vikander's performance in every scene. She portrays a woman who, despite some challenges and some difficulties for her in dealing with changes in her husband - the man she married - manages to keep her wedding vows until the film's end, such is the strength of her love and her commitment.

Director Tom Hooper has outdone himself yet again with this film. If you haven't seen it, I suggest you make a point to do so as soon as possible.

9 out of 10.