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Disobedience (2018) movie poster

Timeline

Disobedience (2018) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2018 · 114 min · English
Echo score 82
JustWatch #10,581 13
Directed by
Sebastián Lelio
Starring
Bernardo Santos, Rachel McAdams, Rachel Weisz, Alessandro Nivola, Allan Corduner, Alexis Zegerman
Budget
$6M

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.

Drama Romance Cast, crew & box office
On this page (7)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 The book behind the movie
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Movies like Disobedience
  7. 7 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Disobedience (2018)

Where can you watch Disobedience? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Hoopla, Kanopy and Fandango at Home Free: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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15 events in order · contains spoilers

Disobedience Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Disobedience (2018) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Rav Krushka's Collapse

    While delivering a sermon at the Orthodox Synagogue in Hendon, Rav Krushka suddenly collapses. This shocking event marks the beginning of significant changes in the lives of those who loved him.

    Where
    Hendon, London

  2. Ronit's Life in Manhattan

    Ronit Krushka, the estranged daughter of Rav Krushka, is leading her life as a photographer in Manhattan. She is caught up in her work until she receives devastating news about her father's death.

    Where
    Manhattan, New York

  3. Devastating News

    While in the midst of a photo shoot, Ronit learns of her father's passing. Overwhelmed by the news, she turns to alcohol, drowning her sorrows at a nearby bar before making a poor choice to sleep with a stranger.

    Where
    Bar in Manhattan

  4. Return to London

    Ronit returns to London to attend her father's funeral, instantly becoming aware of the tension in the Orthodox Jewish community that she left behind. She feels like an outsider, interpreting the coldness of those around her.

    Where
    London

  5. Staying with Dovid

    Dovid Kuperman, a family friend of the late Rav, offers Ronit a place to stay. Despite his welcoming, many members of the community resent Ronit for abandoning them, creating a tense atmosphere during her visit.

    Where
    Dovid's Residence, London

  6. Family Tensions

    Ronit's return is met with mixed feelings, especially from her uncle Moshe Hartog, who criticizes her for missing out on her father's final days. The community's collective resentment toward Ronit deepens her emotional turmoil.

    Where
    Hartog Residence, London

  7. Dinner with the Hartogs

    During dinner at the Hartog residence, conversations take a sharp turn as Ronit is questioned about her life choices. Her identity as 'Ronnie Curtis' raises eyebrows, particularly as Esti comments on the transient nature of women's roles.

    Where
    Hartog Residence, London

  8. Visit to Father's Grave

    In a poignant moment, Ronit, accompanied by Dovid and Esti, visits her father's grave. It is here that she expresses her regrets and hopes about her father's perception of her love, facing an emotional vulnerability.

    Where
    Graveyard, London

  9. The Discovery of the Past

    Ronit visits her uncle at his wig maker's shop, seeking answers about her father's estate. She is distraught to learn that all of her father's belongings were left to the synagogue, deepening her sense of loss.

    Where
    Wig Maker's Shop, London

  10. Kiss of Rekindled Feelings

    Ronit and Esti, revisiting the Rav's old home, share a poignant kiss marked by past affections and unresolved feelings. This heartfelt moment complicates their lives as they navigate societal expectations and personal desires.

    Where
    Rav's House, London

  11. Escape to Central London

    Facing increasing scrutiny from their community, Ronit and Esti try to find solace in central London. Their rekindled romance intensifies as they embrace their feelings despite the looming judgment of their tight-knit society.

    Where
    Central London

  12. Esti's Confession

    In a moment of honesty, Esti confesses to Dovid that she may be pregnant, presenting a serious challenge to their troubled marriage. This revelation forces her to confront her life choices and future.

    Where
    Kuperman Home, London

  13. Emotional Goodbyes

    As Ronit prepares to leave for New York, her parting with Esti is filled with intense emotion. Their farewell kiss embodies their unfulfilled desires and the bittersweet reality of their complicated relationship.

    Where
    London Airport

  14. Esti's Pregnancy Announcement

    Back at the synagogue, Esti reveals her pregnancy in a charged atmosphere of judgment. Her announcement reinforces her struggles with community expectations, illustrating the tension between personal choice and cultural obligations.

    Where
    Synagogue, London

  15. Closure at the Grave

    In a powerful act of closure, Ronit visits her father's grave one last time before leaving. This moment represents her acceptance of the past and her ongoing journey toward freedom and self-identity.

    Where
    Graveyard, London

Last updated: November 07, 2024 at 23:00

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Timeline questions answered

Disobedience Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Disobedience (2018): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did Ronit leave the Orthodox Jewish community?

Ronit left the community because she fundamentally disagreed with its beliefs and restrictions. She changed her name to the anglicized 'Ronnie Curtis' and moved to Manhattan to work as a photographer, completely breaking away from her religious background and family.

  • ronit krushka
  • orthodoxy
  • community
  • leaving
  • ronnie curtis
Q2

What was Ronit and Esti's relationship before the movie?

Ronit and Esti were best friends since childhood within the Orthodox community. They had unspoken romantic feelings for each other that were never acted upon before Ronit left. When Ronit returns, these latent feelings resurface, leading to their forbidden romance.

Foreshadowing: The dinner conversation about women's transient identities hints at Esti's own struggles with her constrained role.

  • ronit
  • esti
  • childhood friends
  • romance
  • feelings
Q3

Why did Esti marry Dovid if she had feelings for Ronit?

Esti married Dovid, a devoted student of the Rav, likely because it was expected within the community. After Ronit left, Esti stayed and followed the conventional path laid out for women in the Orthodox community, marrying a man who was a religious student rather than pursuing her true feelings.

  • esti
  • dovid
  • marriage
  • arranged
  • community expectations
Q4

Why did the obituary say the Rav had no children?

Ronit's uncle Moshe Hartog deliberately wrote the obituary excluding Ronit to punish her for abandoning the community. This was a final act of condemnation from her family, reflecting the community's resentment toward her for leaving and refusing to adhere to their beliefs.

  • obituary
  • moshe hartog
  • childless
  • family rejection
Q5

What made the community suspicious of Ronit and Esti?

The community noticed the rekindled closeness between Ronit and Esti during Ronit's visit. Their private time together at the Rav's dilapidated house and subsequent escape to central London intensified the community's scrutiny, leading to allegations against Esti about her connection to Ronit.

  • community
  • suspicion
  • esti
  • ronit
  • allegations
Q6

What happened with Esti's pregnancy in the movie?

Esti confesses to Dovid that she may be pregnant after her affair with Ronit. She later announces her pregnancy at the synagogue, facing judgment from the community. The film leaves the ultimate outcome ambiguous, but it represents another conflict between personal desire and community expectations.

  • esti
  • pregnancy
  • dovid
  • announcement
  • synagogue
Q7

Why did Ronit's father leave all his belongings to the Synagogue?

Ronit's father, Rav Krushka, left all his belongings to the Synagogue rather than to Ronit. This further demonstrates the rift between them and his alignment with the community that rejected her, adding to Ronit's grief and sense of being excluded from her father's life.

  • rav krushka
  • property
  • synagogue
  • inheritance
  • father
Q8

Why did Ronit use the name Ronnie Curtis instead of her birth name?

Ronit changed her name to Ronnie Curtis as a complete rejection of her Orthodox Jewish identity. This anglicized name represents her new secular life in Manhattan and her break from the religious community that raised her.

  • ronnie curtis
  • name change
  • identity
  • secular
  • manhattan
Q9

Why couldn't Dovid comfort Ronit when she expressed grief about her father?

Dovid struggled to provide Ronit with the emotional comfort she needed because of his religious obligations and position within the community. His faith prevented him from offering the personal support she sought, illustrating how religious constraints limit human connection.

  • dovid
  • comfort
  • religion
  • grief
  • constraints
Q10

What happens between Ronit and Esti at the end?

Ronit returns to New York while Esti stays in London pregnant. Their final goodbye is bittersweet, they share an emotional kiss knowing their paths have diverged. Ronit finds closure at her father's grave before leaving, while Esti faces an uncertain future within the community.

  • ending
  • separation
  • goodbye
  • new york
  • london
Q11

Why was Ronit unwelcome in the Orthodox community after returning?

The community resented Ronit for abandoning them and violating their religious expectations. Her aunt Fruma offered a warmer reception, but most members, including her uncle Moshe, treated her coldly for leaving and living a secular life in Manhattan.

  • community
  • unwelcoming
  • resentment
  • moshe hartog
  • fruma hartog

Movie threads

More Movies Like Disobedience, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Disobedience tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about forbidden love in oppressive societies like Disobedience

Stories of secret romances that challenge the rigid rules of traditional communities. If you were captivated by the forbidden romance in Disobedience, this collection features similar movies about love that defies social and religious norms. Discover other powerful dramas where characters risk everything for a connection that threatens to dismantle the world they know.

  • forbidden romance
  • claustrophobic
  • oppressive
  • restrained passion
  • conflicted
  • somber
  • Tone: melancholic, tense
  • Pacing: slow, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern follows an individual or couple whose burgeoning attraction exists in direct opposition to the strict codes of their community. The central conflict is internal and external, pitting deeply personal yearnings against the fear of exile and judgment, often leading to a climax of discovery and consequential choice.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they share a core thematic focus on love as an act of defiance. They create a similar emotional experience through their exploration of claustrophobic settings, high emotional stakes, and the heavy weight of choosing between personal happiness and communal acceptance.

Disobedience movie poster

Disobedience

2018
The Lover movie poster

The Lover

1992
The Passionate Friends movie poster

The Passionate Friends

1949
Impossible Love movie poster

Impossible Love

2015
The Falls: Testament of Love movie poster

The Falls: Testament of Love

2013
The Journey movie poster

The Journey

2004
Eighteen Springs movie poster

Eighteen Springs

1997
Besieged movie poster

Besieged

1998

Slow burn melancholic character dramas like Disobedience

Character-driven stories where emotional tension simmers beneath a quiet surface. For viewers who appreciated the slow, reflective pace and heavy emotional atmosphere of Disobedience, this list highlights similar character-driven dramas. Find movies that share a melancholic tone, a focus on internal conflict, and a deliberate pacing that lets the story's emotional weight settle deeply.

  • slow burn
  • melancholic
  • somber
  • character study
  • emotional
  • restrained
  • Tone: melancholic, somber, restrained
  • Pacing: slow, atmospheric
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread are typically built around a character's return to a place or relationship from their past, reopening old wounds. The plot is secondary to the exploration of nuanced emotions, unspoken tensions, and the slow-burning consequences of confronting one's history and identity.

Why they belong together: These movies are united by a specific combination of slow pacing, a melancholic tone, and heavy emotional weight. They offer a similar viewing vibe: restrained, somber, and intellectually engaging, focusing on the quiet devastation of human relationships and personal crises.

Dark Illness movie poster

Dark Illness

1990
Character movie poster

Character

1997
The Garden of Evening Mists movie poster

The Garden of Evening Mists

2019
Normal movie poster

Normal

2007
Liebestraum movie poster

Liebestraum

1991
Diane movie poster

Diane

2019
Autumn Sonata movie poster

Autumn Sonata

2017
The Souvenir movie poster

The Souvenir

2019

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Every angle

Disobedience (2018) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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