Breaking the Waves
Directed by:
Lars von TrierCinematography:
Robby MüllerCast:
Emily Watson, Stellan Skarsgård, Katrin Cartlidge, Jean-Marc Barr, Adrian Rawlins, Udo Kier, Mikkel Gaup, Sandra Voe, Phil McCall, David Bateson (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
Featuring an astonishing Oscar-nominated performance by Emily Watson, Lars von Trier's powerful Breaking the Waves tell the story of Bess, a naive young woman who marries Jan, a handsome oil-rig worker. Their marital bliss is cut when an accident on the rig leaves Jan paralysed. Believing he will never make love to Bess again, he tells her to take other lovers, convincing her that this will help his recovery. Bess is sent spiralling into a world of dark emotions she cannot understand. (Artificial Eye)
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Reviews (7)
For many years, I considered Breaking the Waves a film that you need to be more mature to understand, and as a super film that is not for everyone. I even allowed myself to see a mere theater production earlier, which handled the subject in its own way. But in the end, it's just a film for the discerning viewer, but far from being for the snob or hypocrite viewer. All proto-impressions aside, it's just a film, it won't hurt you - and of course, von Trier is only its author.
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Lars von Trier pushes the envelope again, but unlike Dancer in the Dark, there is a reason for it and it is not an end in itself. Breaking the Waves is a whirlwind of emotions that often sends chills down the spine. And Emily Watson’s performance is perfection itself.
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Your typical Trier’s unpleasant cocktail of emotions. Breaking the Waves is such a relentless valley of tears that the viewer never has a chance to calm down; the misery only escalates. Emily Watson’s performance is breathtaking. And yet, I don’t think it’s enough for a full count, why? The answer is simple: because of Dogville, a film without a single weak moment that was a lot more crushing. This one is the light version of Lars’s best.
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I don't count Lars von Trier among my favorite creators, but it must be acknowledged that he knows how to tell powerful stories and how to evoke truly dark emotions from both actors and audiences. It seems to me that the film, despite what it's actually saying, has quite a few unnecessary minutes, but it's true that with another movie, I'd criticize the runtime more. An experience that you'll ponder over.
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A total, but I mean total emotional inferno. You just don't see anything more vicious than this (except with another Trier). How this freaks pulls this off with these actors I really don't understand. He must be putting something in their coffee. What Emily Watson in particular created is a character worthy of a horror movie. Of course, then the very end comes and I don't know what flew onto my monitor. Trier couldn't have been serious. I think he must have made a bet with someone -)
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