An incredible film (Breaking The Waves (DVD))

Member Name: jesperado

Product:	Breaking The Waves (DVD)
Date:	05/11/08 (29 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Some of the best acting I have ever seen and beautiful tableaux and use of music between scenes

Disadvantages: If you like fast-paced Hollywood blockbusters, this film isn't for you!

Breaking The Waves is the story of Bess, a naïve and childlike young woman living in a close-knit religious community in a remote area of Scotland. Bess falls in love with Jan, a free-spirited Norwegian oilrig worker and the pair marry. Their relationship is so passionate and intense that Bess is inconsolable when Jan has to go back to the oil rig. She turns to God to bring her husband back to her and He does, although not in the way Bess expects and from here their relationship changes and Bess' love for her husband and faith in God are tested.

I'll leave the explanation there as I don't want to give too much of the plot away. This film is absolutely incredible. The acting from both lading actors is superb. Emily Watson is mesmerising as the wide-eyed Bess and Stellan Skarsgard has magnetism about his as Jan. I found this film incredibly moving and it still makes me cry whenever I watch it (and I don't cry easily at films!). This film became the basis of my MA dissertation about religion and film and I would recommend it to anyone. The characters in this film are so real that whenever they look straight at the camera you feel like they are sharing a secret with you. Although there are parts of the film that are difficult to watch, the nudity and violence are never exploitative or gratuitous.

Summary: Absolutely amazing - my favourite film