Breaking the Waves (1996)

Synopsis of Breaking the Waves

With Breaking The Waves, director Lars von Trier fashions an often disturbing tale of the singular power of love. Bess (the Oscar-nominated Emily Watson) is a naïve, borderline simple young woman who lives in a Scottish coastal town ruled by the religious doctrine of its council of elders. Recovering from a mental breakdown caused by the death of her brother, Bess marries a rough yet compassionate and attentive oil rig worker named Jan (Stellan Skarsgård). For a brief time, the couple enjoys peaceful wedded bliss, with the worldly Jan introducing Bess to the mysteries of sex. Jan must soon return to his job on the rig, however, where he is paralyzed from the neck down in a freak accident. Bess' emotional trauma over Jan's injury turns into obsession as she prays to God for his recovery and offers to do anything to have her husband back whole. Jan, constantly medicated and profoundly depressed, asks Bess to have sex with other men and tell him about it, thinking this will allow her to return to a normal life. Bess, on the other hand, sees it as an expression of her devotion to Jan that even God won't be able to ignore. Bess's resultant downward spiral leads to a finale of both tragedy and spirituality. Breaking the Waves is widely regarded as one of the most distinctive European movies of the 1990s, marking von Trier's movement toward his influential Dogma 95 school of filmmaking, which emphasizes realistic situations of contemporary life, filmed without background music and with a hand-held, restlessly moving camera. ~ Don Kaye, Rovi

See All Breaking the Waves Trailers and Clips

Theatrical Feature Running Time:

152 mins

Director(s):

Lars von Trier

Writer(s):

Lars von Trier

Producer(s):

Vibeke Windeløv, Peter Aalbæk Jensen

Theatrical MPAA Rating:

R(Not For Children, Adult Situations, Strong Sexual Content)

• 1996 - Cannes Film Festival - Grand Jury Prize
• 1996 - European Film Academy - Best Actress
• 1996 - European Film Academy - Best European Film
• 1996 - European Film Academy - Critics Award
• 1996 - French Academy of Cinema - Best Foreign Language Film
• 1996 - Los Angeles Film Critics Association - New Generation Award
• 1996 - National Society of Film Critics - Best Director
• 1996 - National Society of Film Critics - Best Cinematography
• 1996 - National Society of Film Critics - Best Picture
• 1996 - National Society of Film Critics - Best Actress
• 1996 - New York Film Critics Circle - Best Actress
• 1996 - New York Film Critics Circle - Best Cinematography
• 1996 - New York Film Critics Circle - Best Director

Warning:  This product is intended for mature audiences only. It may contain violence, sexual content, drug abuse and/or strong language. You must be 17 or older to purchase it. By ordering this item you are certifying that you are at least 17 years of age.

Looking for special editions of Breaking the Waves?

See All Versions

Subtitles:

Check All Versions

Closed Captioning:

Check All Versions