The plot revolves around reigniting forbidden passion, directly challenging faith-based prohibitions on same-sex relationships, with explicit themes of homophobia, suppressed desires, and the harm of enforced heterosexual marriages. Creator Naomi Alderman drew from her Orthodox background to expose community pressures on queer individuals, intending to catalyze change by highlighting no-win choices between faith/community and authentic sexuality.

Director Sebastián Lelio frames disobedience as a rebellious force against stifling belief systems, promoting tolerance and evolution away from rigid norms, aligning with his prior work on trans themes. Casting Rachel McAdams, a non-Jewish actress, as the devout Orthodox wife Esti raises authenticity issues amid criticisms of inaccurate depictions from both queer Jews and Orthodox observers, prioritizing dramatic queer romance over precise representation. While nuanced and acclaimed, these elements embed progressive activism—normalizing queer relationships in sacred traditional spaces—as the core appeal, compromising pure storytelling by subordinating character and community depth to identity politics messaging that lectures on the oppressiveness of orthodoxy.