Customer Reviews

Breaking the Waves

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

There have been many great films made within the last ten years or so that could be described as "great cinema." Fargo, Pulp Fiction, Silence of the Lambs, Schindler's List, Goodfellas all come to my mind. As well as other overlooked (by the moviegoing public, anyway) or misunderstood gems like Heavenly Creatures, Hoop Dreams, Matewan, or Slacker. This film, however, is the best of them all. To put it another way, I think it's the best film of the 1990s.

In all my years as a cineaste and as a movie-goer, few films have affected me as profoundly as this film. Some of it is indeed 'disturbing' but only in the same sense that, say, the Gospels are disturbing.. telling us things we'd rather not hear and showing us images we'd rather not see... but things which make us wiser and more human. This film is about faith and love and hope, yes, but it is no feel-good movie of the week slop. It's a challenging film, which means that some may not enjoy it. As film critic Roger Ebert writes: "It has the kind of raw power, the kind of unshielded regard for the force of good and evil in the world, that we want to shy away from. It is easier sometimes to wrap ourselves in sentiment and pious platitudes."

It redefines our definition of sin and redemption and gives a vision of a righteous person that is probably more in line with what Jesus had in mind than any conservative church elders (like the ones in the film) are capable of conceptualizing. Rarely does a film come along that is as both spiritual and as morally complex as this one. It will alienate some viewers with it's frank sexuality, nudity, and it's devastating second act.

It's their loss.. and what a huge loss it is.

And then there's the performance of Emily Watson, which I think is simply one of the greatest single performances in the history of the cinema. And I would defend that with as much passion as I would my most cherished philosophical, religious, or political viewpoints. There are scenes where Watson's character carries on a two-way conversation between herself and G-d, speaking both voices, and we are reminded of what good acting is and what it means. After years and years of seeing mediocre acting, a great actor can devastate you with their realness. This was the case with Emily Watson and myself. The supporting cast also delivers very fine, if not as memorable, performances.

The ending, poetic and unexpected, reminded me of the literary genre of 'magical realism' which Angel Flores described as "an amalgamation of fantasy and realism." The ending is neither cheap nor unnecessary, it is the perfect ending to a perfect film.

It is the ending, too, which gives the story of Bess parallels with the life of Christ. Whereas Jesus understood his fate (atleast according to tradition), Bess cannot comprehend the forces that overwhelm her. Bess, just like another so-called blasphemer and criminal, has her life and sufferings ultimately shown through miracle to be vindicated by God. Christ's resurrection (in the case of Jesus) was a "yes" to Jesus and a "no" to the community that condemned him. Likewise with Bess. The story, at it's core, cannot be seen as anything but a devastating critique of the dogmatic and sectarian aspects of Christian religious practice.

There is simply no excuse for this film to be as overlooked as it is. Hopefully, time will vindicate it and it will eventually be seen as the great classic that it is. If this film is lost to time, it will be a tremendous loss to the artistic medium of film.

I truly love this movie. And when I say "love", it's not hyperbole.

Please see this film.

This film does NOT endorse what it depicts. Obviously, the memebers of the church are misguided, in fact a great deal of the film points that out. But the film is not about them, it is about Bess, and about her love for God and God's love for her. What happens to her in the movie is not God's torture of her, it is human free will being exercised on a pure spirit, and the beauty is how her spirit always remains pure. That is why God loves Bess. God does not sugarcoat the world, and all who wish to follow him go through trials. Bess made it through those trials, and this is, as such, a TRUE CHRISTIAN FILM.

Not to mention it is cinematically the best film I have ever seen, as Heilman says, it is transcends words and descriptions. Do not let any review scare you away, if you don't like graphic sex turn it off, but this is a film about the love God has for all the how beautiful a pure spirit is.

It is impossible to not be moved by Lars von Trier's incredible masterpiece of love, faith, feminism and miracle set on the Isle of Skye and that launched Emily Watson's career to the whole wide world. But it is certainly important to have this soundtrack if you either loved that movie or love the seventies music.

For in this cd, Lars Von Trier has compiled in it some of the songs that appeared in the movie, either in the gorgeous chapter inter-titles, defined by Lars as "God's point of view" and on the radio that Bess sometimes listen to on her radio or that the other characters listen to. I say some of the songs for we unfortunately do not have the moving "Life on Mars" by David Bowie. Which is sad because I think that this song is really the pinnacle of emotion felt before the movie's incredible epilogue which managed to shock many critics and moviegoers. Then again, we still get to have Bach Siciliana done on the trumpet and for me it is an incredible fitting conclusion to that incredible soundtrack.

So for me, I think this soundtrack is perfect to relive in your head all the emotions and events that occurred during the movie, but I wish that those who made that cd took the time to re-release it for those that want to buy it either on Amazon or in any disc shops.

Very gripping and persuasively acted. The girl's fervent conversations with herself, in which she plays the part of God, show the director's psychological insight. The personalities are subtly drawn. Von Trier captures brilliantly the atmosphere of his isolated, rigidly pious Scottish community.

But his own moralizing is also infected by Christianity. He elevates to sainthood a diseased and fanatical mind, he glorifies excess and simple-minded belief. The fact that much of the action takes place in hospitals is fitting, given the unhealthy nature of this sensibility.

Deep love and loyalty are good, but contrary to what is taught in von Trier's morality play, a self abasing, blind and clinging love, which clamps onto its object like a vice, is not good. The movie has a biblical feel to it, with its message of testing and redemption. There is no denying its power, but it's the power of sickness.

Yes all devout Christians beware this film it may well shatter your illusions, throw another book on the pyre. The all-loving infallible god who slew the first born and condemned achievement of his beloved children at the tower of Babel. Oh merciful heaven, condone another three centuries of tyrannical witch trials. God loves you as he keeps you. Considering the intimacy of your relationship tell him i said Hi when you next converse.

P.s. oh and err.... don't eat from that tree

A long, slow study of life in a small northern Scottish town, ruled by the old men of the village's Calvinist kirk, as seen through the eyes of a village lass who appears to be able to hold conversations with God. And I mean sloooooow. At times fascinating and at times just frustrating, the story moves along at its own pace, broken into sections that are annoyingly introduced with still frame shots and titles.

The movie is at times beautiful and at times clearly an exercise in self-indulgence on the part of the director, Lars von Trier. What I found absolutely inexcuseable was the final, very final shot. Without giving the ending away, hearing the bells was beautiful. It was transcendant. It made up for the length and leisurely pace of the whole movie. But then von Trier spoiled all the goodwill he had just created with me by showing me the bells. Why? Oh, why? The ending ruined the movie. What, we're too dense to put two and two together and figure out for ourselves where the peels were coming from?

Bess McNeil (Emily Watson) is a naive woman who was brought up in an oppressive environment with patriarchal Christian believes where Christian rules are worshipped above all else. Nonetheless, Bess gets the Church elders approval, after some hesitation, to marry an outsider. This outsider is Jan Nyman (Stellan Skarsgård), an oil rig worker on the North Sea. Bess and Jan are so much in love that Bess declares her love for Jan in the bathroom of their reception by saying "You can love me now!", which leads to Bess loosing her virginity. This is the beginning of her sexual transformation as her love expands for Jan and in appreciation she thanks God for the gift of love that he has given her. However, the honeymoon must come to an end as Jan must return to the oil rig to earn a living. On the oil rig Jan is seriously injured in an accident, which leads the audience into a relentlessly tragic story about faith, loss, and love.

Breaking the Waves is broken up in different chapters and in between the chapters von Tier uses scenic shots that are artistically enhanced. These shots cue the audience on the upcoming chapter as it deals with different issues around Bess and Jan's relationship. The film is shot in a Dogma 95 style that von Tier introduced to the public in 1995, which adds to the realism of the story. In addition, the cast performs brilliantly as they help paint the true vision of Lars von Tier in a brilliant cinematic experience that some will love and some will hate as the story forces the audience to choose a side.

The subject of this daringly emotional movie is faith, and it demands to be taken on. Von Trier's blurb on the DVD has him suggesting that this was a simple love story, but it absolutely isn't. It may be set among a simple people, but the questions it raises will have you thinking for a while.

FIRST HALF: MARVELLOUS

In a bleak Scottish village dominated by a rigid Christian sect with a profound distrust of outsiders, a childlike god-fearing young woman named Bess marries an oil-rig worker named Jan, a hearty, worldly sensualist. They hurl themselves into marriage with a reckless, carnal joy that is unnerving to behold.

This first half of the movie contains some of the most passionate mosaic of love scenes I have seen in a while. Von Trier, together with cinematographer Mueller, creates an atmosphere of dizzying immediacy and evokes some vivid performances from the actors.

SECOND HALF: MIXED BAG

After all that wondrous love, the film suddenly takes a bizarre dip when the husband gets paralyzed and fears that he will never be able to make love to his wife again. So he asks her to find a lover and tell him the details about it, as a vicarious sexual existence. He tells her that this is the only way he can live, and without it, he will die. She refuses, but when his condition worsens, she ultimately succumbs.

This bit I felt is where the film comes a tad undone. While it is VERY moving to watch, I began to question the leaps of faith we are supposed to take, as this strange mix of religion and sexuality smacks either of being too simplistic or too far-fetched. The husband's notions of depraved sexuality as salvation come across as illogical and ineffective.

BUT, SO WHAT, IT'S A MUST-WATCH GEM:

Despite my gripes, this is a fascinating film to watch (and own!) I have seen very few movies that take such huge risks, it is absolutely high-wire filmmaking, without a net of irony. Like the movie, the performances of the stars will surely leave you shaken, off balance, haunted.

Please do not get me wrong: Trier means most of the things he says with this movie: and he is propably one of the 9 greatest filmmakers in history. I am just not sure that people realize how much this movie is a rebellion against certain turgid, self - important elements in Danish culture. He uses clichès and sentimentality to express ideas that are quite complex and clever: and even passionate. Its something Danes usually do not admit to be, but are actually quite good at: just look at that other Danish catholic convert, Niels Steensen.
(Not that i am that much for Catholicism, but it does make for some fine stories).
Two minor points:
1): I know people might "blank it out" due to ingrained stereotypes ("Footlose" was a charming movie, but its theme mayhave become slightly, well, over - used?): Triers main villains are NOT the Presbytarians: he establishes their supiriority to id - driven types pretty early on in the movie (its the "liberated" types who end up killing the main character too, come to think of it).
2): no, the movie is not "misogynist": yes, she actually knows what shes doing. People do, sometimes: even women (though a lot of people seem not to think so).

Child-like, devout, not quite right in the head, Bess gets married to Jan and is immensely happy. When he has to return to the oil rig where he works, she is devastated and prays to God for him to come home. And so he does, on a stretcher, after a serious accident at work has paralysed him. Now it is guilt that devastates Bess. Jan meanwhile begins to have some, ultimately well-intentioned, thoughts that she should free herself up from him, taking a lover perhaps, as he has little prospect of ever making love to her again. She won't hear of it. So now he urges her to do this not for herself but for him. And indeed, his own mental balance shaken by his physical condition, he places the thought in her head that by having sex with other men she can somehow help him to recovery. The deadly seriousness with which she takes this makes her an outcast in her small Highland community and leads to her ultimate destruction.

This film is set in the Scottish Highlands. Film lovers the world over, hearing that, may immediately think of the rather fey, whisky-soaked and carefree landscape of "I Know Where I'm Going", "Whisky Galore", "Local Hero", etc. If you do, now is the time to forget these cosy images. The Highlands here are a cold, difficult place where small inward-looking communities are dominated by the ministers of a cold and unforgiving Presbyterian faith and where, out in the harbour, in the "big boat" there lurks a lawless and dangerous world of psychopathic sexual sadism. It's a bleak picture indeed though I doubt that von Trier intends it to be a particularly realistic picture of a Highland community. The brutality and ugliness of Bess's environment is simply intended to represent the brutality and ugliness of the world quite generally and indeed von Trier may intend a certain irony in providing his story with a setting so often viewed as a place of escape from such things. (Despite this setting, von Trier's first English language film remains also unmistakably Danish and reviewers who profess to see here the strong influences both of Soren Kierkegaard and of Carl Dreyer are surely dead right.)

Two things destroy Bess. One is her love for her husband twisted into madness by her grief and mental weakness. The other is the unforgiving cruelty of her community who, at a moment in her life when she most needs their compassion and understanding, turn their back on her with freezing contempt in spite of their ostensible adherence to a religion of love and forgiveness. In horrible scenes late in the film, Bess's mother shuts her out of her house; she is chased, jeered at and stoned in the street by the local schoolchildren; the local minister (a great chilling performance by Jonathan Hackett) finds her unconscious at the church door and simply walks away. This lost and hopelessly corrupted world fails, in von Trier's eyes, adequately to see that the love and goodness embodied in Bess, for all her innocence and self-destructive foolishness, offers it its sole hope of redemption. Unmistakably this is a profoundly religious film, the work of a director who recently before converted from Judaism to Roman Catholicism. But it is a religious movie that is certain to - and I have no doubt is purposefully designed to - shock and distress most religious viewers.

Indeed, in a whole bunch of ways, it will shock and distress just about anybody. The events of the second half of the movie are profoundly harrowing, disturbing and painful to watch. (Not least because Emily Watson turns in a performance so brilliant that it is very easy to forget we are only watching someone acting.) And it is hard viewing. Though not officially a Dogme95 film, it goes a good distance in respecting that school's self-denying ordinances in favour of location shooting, hand-held camera work, lack of incidental music (except here for the occasional "chapter" headings accompanied by 70s style rock music), etc. But none of this prevents it from being an extraordinarily compelling, altogether unique movie, one that nobody who cares about good cinema should even think about missing out on.