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Breaking the Waves (1996)
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Overview
Tagline:
Love is a mighty power.Plot:
Oilman Jan is paralyzed in an accident. His wife, who prayed for his return, feels guilty; even more, when Jan urges her to have sex with another. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 40 wins & 13 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(6 articles)
Kidman Upset By Breaking The Waves Film (From WENN. 22 June 2008, 7:06 AM, PDT)
British Actress Cartlidge Dies Suddenly (From WENN. 10 September 2002)
User Comments:
Leap of Faith moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Emily Watson | ... | Bess McNeill | |
| Stellan Skarsgård | ... | Jan Nyman | |
| Katrin Cartlidge | ... | Dodo McNeill | |
| Jean-Marc Barr | ... | Terry | |
| Adrian Rawlins | ... | Dr. Richardson | |
| Jonathan Hackett | ... | Priest | |
| Sandra Voe | ... | Mother | |
| Udo Kier | ... | Sadistic Sailor | |
| Mikkel Gaup | ... | Pits | |
| Roef Ragas | ... | Pim | |
| Phil McCall | ... | Grandfather | |
| Robert Robertson | ... | Chairman | |
| Desmond Reilly | ... | An Elder | |
| Sarah Gudgeon | ... | Sybilla | |
| Finlay Welsh | ... | Coroner (as Finley Welsh) |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated R for strong graphic sexuality, nudity, language and some violence.Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
159 min | USA:153 min (director's cut)Language:
EnglishColour:
Colour (Eastmancolor)Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Dolby DigitalCertification:
Singapore:R21 (re-rating) | Iceland:16 | Australia:MA (TV rating) | Australia:R | Canada:18A | Chile:18 | Denmark:12 | Finland:K-14 | France:-12 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:III | Hungary:16 | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:R(A) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Argentina:16 | Israel:18MOVIEmeter: 
Fun Stuff
Soundtrack:
Siciliana - Sonata BWV n. 1031 moreFAQ
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"Dogville" is one of my all-time favourite films, and the most disturbing film I've ever seen. I've wanted to see "Breaking the Waves" in quite a while, and recently I finally had the chance. Now I can't say which one is better. What a heartbreaking experience. Emily Watson had one of the best film debuts ever, and this is probably the most accomplished female performance I've seen since Julianne Moore in "The Hours". Actually, if I had to list 3 favourite female performances now, I'd mention Watson, Moore and Isabelle Huppert in "The Piano Teacher". Lars von Trier has a special talent to direct women: just remember Nicole Kidman's and Björk's remarkable performances in "Dogville" and "Dancer in the Dark", respectively.
"Breaking the Waves" tells the story of the pure Bess McNeill (Watson) and her unconditional love for Jan Nyman (Stellan Skarsgård), who is paralyzed after an accident at the oil-rig he works in. Then, Jan convinces Bess to have sex with other men and tell him the details of the sexual encounters, so he won't "forget" how to do it. Bess is determined to make Jan happy and to prove to God that she loves him, but she soon loses control of her actions. The storyline might sound absurd, but Von Trier isn't a joker and he takes us into a devastating journey. Katrin Cartlidge (1961-2002), an extremely gifted actress ("Naked", "Before the Rain", "Claire Dolan", "Career Girls", "Topsy-Turvy" and "No Man's Land") who died too young, delivers a captivating, discreet supporting performance as Dodo, Bess' loving sister-in-law.
I'd say "Breaking the Waves" and "Dogville" are opposite masterpieces: "Waves" being about love and goodness, "Dogville" being about hatred and evil, among other things, of course (nothing's easy or simple in Von Trier's universe). Both films are extremely dark and hard to watch, but "Waves" shows that Von Trier has faith in mankind. His detractors like to label him as a cynical atheist, but "Breaking the Waves" definitely proved me the opposite. Von Trier made a poignant epic about the struggle of an innocent, good-hearted woman who wants to do what God wants her to do (or, at least, what she thinks He wants her to do) and make her husband happy - even if she has to sacrifice herself for that. It's a leap of faith both for Bess and the watcher, who's got to decide if he's ready for such an experience. I wasn't disappointed at all. 10 out of 10.