In this film, legendary filmmaker and figure of controversy Lars Von Trier gets as far away from his earlier films as possible. From almost excessive visual stylization and remoteness, he uses an approach that is disturbingly documentary-like, heavily reliant on improvisation and incredibly intimate for the first time.
Breaking the Waves is the story of simple-minded, good-hearted and slightly bonkers Bess McNee (Emily Watson in her first role!) of a secular Scottish community. She falls for a stranger from an offshore oil rig (Jan, played with consummate charm and tenderness by Stellan Skarsgard) who's long absences torture her. Eventually, he returns, paralyzed and, wanting Bess to live happily, convinces her to take lovers, telling her it will cure him while hoping for her to find someone else. Things (mainly Bess's mental state) go quite horribly wrong from that point on..
The story of itself is ripe with melodrama and would strain the credulity of even the most naive of viewers if done conventionally. Such is not the case however and Von Trier turns a horrid tale into something intimate, real, tender and heartbreaking thanks to a bare-bones approach that puts all the more emphasis on an excellent cast (especially the late Katrin Cartlidge as Bess's widowed stepsister Dodo). The witty musical interludes that serve as chapter marks to the story only serve to further put you under the spell.
Though the film is excellent on its own, it is part of a thematic trilogy (along with the dogma effort "The Idiots" and the astounding "Dancer in the Dark"). The main point is that Von Trier keeps toppling rules and barriers. Good. That means there's more to look forward to...
Breaking the Waves is the story of simple-minded, good-hearted and slightly bonkers Bess McNee (Emily Watson in her first role!) of a secular Scottish community. She falls for a stranger from an offshore oil rig (Jan, played with consummate charm and tenderness by Stellan Skarsgard) who's long absences torture her. Eventually, he returns, paralyzed and, wanting Bess to live happily, convinces her to take lovers, telling her it will cure him while hoping for her to find someone else. Things (mainly Bess's mental state) go quite horribly wrong from that point on..
The story of itself is ripe with melodrama and would strain the credulity of even the most naive of viewers if done conventionally. Such is not the case however and Von Trier turns a horrid tale into something intimate, real, tender and heartbreaking thanks to a bare-bones approach that puts all the more emphasis on an excellent cast (especially the late Katrin Cartlidge as Bess's widowed stepsister Dodo). The witty musical interludes that serve as chapter marks to the story only serve to further put you under the spell.
Though the film is excellent on its own, it is part of a thematic trilogy (along with the dogma effort "The Idiots" and the astounding "Dancer in the Dark"). The main point is that Von Trier keeps toppling rules and barriers. Good. That means there's more to look forward to...