Chapter 1 – Bess Gets Married: In a backward religious village in the north of Scotland, the naive, immature, pure, susceptive, repressed and emotionally unstable Bess McNeill (Emily Watson) gets married with Danish worker Jan Nyman (Stellan Skarsgård) that works in a drilling rig. Chapter 2 – Life with Jan: Bess has wonderful days of honeymoon with Jan, making love everywhere with her beloved husband. Chapter 3 – Life Alone: Jan has to embark to work in the oil-rig and Bess miss him. She prays to God to send Jan back home. There is a blowout in the drill deck and Jan is seriously injured, becoming completely paralyzed and the doctor diagnoses that he would never walk again. Chapter 4 – Jan's Illness: Bess talks to God and blames herself for the accident of her husband. When Jan tries to convince her to have sex with other men, Bess gets disturbed the same way when her brother and Dodo's husband died and she was interned. But she believes she has a connection with Jan through spiritual love and the might power of love guided by God will heal Jan. She decides to prostitute to help Jan with tragic consequences along Chapter 5 – Doubt; Chapter 6 – Faith; Chapter 7 – Bess' Sacrifice; and Chapter 8 – The Funeral.
"Breaking the Waves" is a heartbreaking and cruel tale of intolerance, faith and unconditional love. The sweet and lovely Emily Watson has a stunning top-notch performance in the role of a infantile and good woman that believes in the power of love. She is able to transmit emotions through the closes of the face and eyes of her beautiful character. Lars von Trier is amazing as usual and among my favorite contemporary directors ever. His nihilist story with the destruction of moral and religious values has a surprising conclusion with redemption to love and spirit that has no boundary and prevails. Stellan Skarsgård and Katrin Cartlidge complete the lead cast with magnificent performances.
The music score is another plus of this movie. The introduction of each chapter uses a classic from the 70's, with "All the Way From Memphis"; "Blowing in the Wind"; "Pipe Major Donald Maclean"; "In a Broken Dream"; "Cross Eyed Mary"; "I Did What I Did for Maria"; "Virginia Plain"; "Whiter Shade of Pale"; "Hot Love"; "Suzanne"; "Love Lies Bleeding"; "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"; "Whisky In the Jam"; "Child in Time"; "Your Song"; "Siciliana"; "Gay Gordons"; "Scotland the Brave"; "Barren Rock of Aden"; "Happy Landing".
I do not like to write extensive reviews but Lars von Trier usually shakes my emotions and in the end I write more than I wished. In Brazil, this feature was released on VHS by Flashstar distributor. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "Ondas do Destino" ("Waves of the Destiny")
"Breaking the Waves" is a heartbreaking and cruel tale of intolerance, faith and unconditional love. The sweet and lovely Emily Watson has a stunning top-notch performance in the role of a infantile and good woman that believes in the power of love. She is able to transmit emotions through the closes of the face and eyes of her beautiful character. Lars von Trier is amazing as usual and among my favorite contemporary directors ever. His nihilist story with the destruction of moral and religious values has a surprising conclusion with redemption to love and spirit that has no boundary and prevails. Stellan Skarsgård and Katrin Cartlidge complete the lead cast with magnificent performances.
The music score is another plus of this movie. The introduction of each chapter uses a classic from the 70's, with "All the Way From Memphis"; "Blowing in the Wind"; "Pipe Major Donald Maclean"; "In a Broken Dream"; "Cross Eyed Mary"; "I Did What I Did for Maria"; "Virginia Plain"; "Whiter Shade of Pale"; "Hot Love"; "Suzanne"; "Love Lies Bleeding"; "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"; "Whisky In the Jam"; "Child in Time"; "Your Song"; "Siciliana"; "Gay Gordons"; "Scotland the Brave"; "Barren Rock of Aden"; "Happy Landing".
I do not like to write extensive reviews but Lars von Trier usually shakes my emotions and in the end I write more than I wished. In Brazil, this feature was released on VHS by Flashstar distributor. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "Ondas do Destino" ("Waves of the Destiny")