Unorthodox
2020
Original language: German
- drama
The story
A Hasidic Jewish woman in Brooklyn flees to Berlin from an arranged marriage and is taken in by a group of musicians — until her past comes calling.
What it’s like
Warm, grounded naturalism in Brooklyn's Williamsburg, shot with a restless handheld intimacy that stays close to a young woman's face, then loosens into the bright, unfamiliar streets of Berlin. Interiors lean on dim kitchens, candlelit Sabbath tables and cramped apartments, while the Berlin scenes carry cooler daylight, graffiti grey and rain-slick pavements. Sound moves between Yiddish and German chatter, murmured prayer, and jazz-tinged piano and quiet, improvised music rehearsals. The mood is tender but tense: a slow-burning unease with real emotional stakes, paced in measured episodes that let silences and small gestures carry weight. It suits a rainy weekend binge or a late evening alone, when you want to sit with a story of courage, family pressure and self-discovery. Some violence and coercion appear, including a tense domestic scene and a few moments of threat, but there is no gore and little explicit content. It is for viewers who want a serious, humane drama about faith, identity and the cost of leaving home, with strong female performances at its centre.
More TV shows like Unorthodox
Closest in mood, pacing and theme. Tell us why you loved Unorthodoxand we’ll explain which ones fit you.
