Rating: 
Summary: SHE WAS TO GOOD
Review: His name is Jan. Her name is Bess. How and when they met is unexplained. It doesn't matter. She wants to marry him even if her religious community disapproves. It happens and then begins a whirlwind of events which sets her life spiraling out of control. Jan goes away to sea only to return paralyzed. Depressed because he is unable to make love again, he makes a pact with his young bride. Go and have sex with other men. Tell me about and I will live. Who but Satan would make such a pact to an innocent naive woman child? Breaking the Waves is a brilliant story detailing the chapters of Bess's life as she tries to live up to the pact of the man that she truly loves. This picture can be interpreted on many levels of good and evil. Our setting is a place that is cold and brutal. Its people follow suit. Forgiveness, love and joy are foreign words in her small religious sect. Repression, being strong and doing one's duty are their gods. You will also find a heavy display of sexism and control of women in the movie. These episodes range from the elders of the church, Jan, the doctor and the sailors. All feel the need to contain the voice of women. Bess can't shut up. She is to good. Her determination to please out of a sense of helping the one she loves defies all logic. Her role playing as god's voice is harsh at times and very judgemental but through that playing she is able to bring some sense to her situation. Bess steps into a world of madness in her attempts to please and be that good girl? The cast of characters did a fine job in weaving together a story that is surreal and highly complex. Such a psychological drama challenges women to claim their own voice. It was magnificently done. Enter into the mind of this woman and see if you too can turn out whole.
Rating: 
Summary: Horrible!!
Review: I saw this movie when it was first released, at a local theater that specializes in "artsy" and foreign films. Never have I spent a more disappointing movie dollar. I can honestly say it is the only movie I have ever attended, where half the audience actually got up and left the theater. It was an absolutely terrible film; slow-moving, boring, and totally unbelievable.
Rating:
Summary: I see the Artistry Now let me Barf!
Review: As a fairly serious cineast, I am most patient with many films. I sat through over 2 hours of this movie hoping that it would find a way to remedy its illogical plot. If this were a comedy, I would probably be able to suspend my disbelief longer. But comedy this certainly is not! Between the documentary-like camera handling (which leaves you dizzy) and the implausible premise (Bess' husband is paralyzed neck down and all he can think of is getting his wife laid by someone else? Hello?!?!?) I don't know who is dumber, Bess or her husband! Don't waste your time with this film unless you really are into a die-hard "art to the death" fan.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful film. One of the best romances ever!
Review: If you thought Titanic was a bunch of Hollywood crap then you'll love Breaking the Waves. Everyone will remember this movie as Emily Watson's breakthrough performance(to date, its still her best performance). But its really the story that makes this movie great. I wish movies would challenge us with the themes of love, devotion and faith in real human terms like Breaking the Waves does more regularly. This movie will leave you thinking and marveling at its beauty. Its a very cool soundtrack too. If you rent it first you'll end up wanting to buy it, so just go ahead and buy it and save the rental money :)
Rating: 
Summary: Wasn't expecting all this emotion
Review: Wow, I really wasn't expecting this movie to be what it was. It was a long, winding road to emotional upheaval. I was hoping for some joyous moments to occur but alas, none did. Though, Emily Watson's performance was mesmorizing. I found myself wanting to turn it off but was rather surprised by how it caught me emotionally. I'm not one to shed a tear during a movie but this one got me. If you plan on viewing this movie, know going into it that it is 2 1/2 hours of austere visuals.
Rating: 
Summary: Breaking the Waves
Review: I can't believe there are no subtitles for the DVD edition, not even in English, not even a close caption or "english for the hearing impaired" or something ! Where's the advantage of the DVD over VHS then ? OK, maybe the image is sharper but I want subtitles ! This film is great but I'm not proficient enough in English to follow the audio track without subtitles !
Rating:
Summary: A unique and amazing film
Review: I would put this film in the top three films of the 90's. It is one of the boldest, bravest, most daring and powerful films you'll ever see. Emily Watson's performance (in her film debut) is outstanding !!! The camerawork is great, it gives the film a documentary look that is essential to the film. This is a film that is the embodiment of love, faith, devotion, and sacrifice to another human being and God. It will leave a strong impression on your heart, mind and spirit. It cannot be missed or overlooked !!!
Rating:
Summary: Best picture of 1996, best performance in the 90s.
Review: The title says it all. You might either love the movie or hate it to death, however, it's hard not to be moved by it. Lars Von Trier has made quite a shocking movie hightlighted by Emily Watson's fierce performance that ranks among the best ever recorded on the screen. She reminds me so much of Falconetti in her monumental performance in 'Passion of Joan of Arc'. I enjoyed Frances McDormand in 'Fargo' a lot. However, to say that performance is better than Watson's in this movie is a big shocking joke. It's like saying that Steve Kerr is a better basketball player than Michael Jordan. You figure the rest.
Rating:
Summary: Emily Watson's Performance Saves a Disturbing Film
Review: The plot of this movie is deplorable and perhaps even misogynistic in its idealization of suffering and self sacrificing womanhood. Why her crippled husband makes a request that endagers her life and mental well being is never explained and this by itself seems a senseless act of cruelty. But all of that doesn't matter because Emily Watson pulls off a performance so true you can't help but root for her even well you see her sliding into humiliation, and degradation. Although one might argue that this was really obsession and not true love, it really doesn't make any difference because either one is just as powerful as the other. Watching her reminded me of the emotions I felt for my first true love and how crazy it made me because the emotions were so strong and so idealized. I admired her character's purity of heart even if it was an insane one. Slow moving at first, the movie definitely had me in its grip from beginning to end.
Rating: 
Summary: Lacking true professionality.
Review: Although certainly good for an independent film, the low budget nature of this film sinks its presentation to barely watchable. All too many cuts in the same scene show one of the main characters standing in the middle of a room, for instance, and then sitting on a couch as if the previous cut should have had them there. Other features of this film make it unappealing. Bess' prayers (which are of her making pleas, then answering herself in a lower voice to convince herself of God's unrealistic response) become annoying. The chapter breaks, whose pictures could do well starting-off scenes like more professional films do, are very out of place to a person that expects the continuous flow of well-done movies. This film also doesn't live up to Amazon's plot summary. The "erotic discovery" doesn't appear any different than would occur for couples whose first sex is after marriage. As well, Bess did not decide to take other lovers, but was mentally exploited by her disabled husband into believing it will help him. Ultimately, the original plot doesn't save this loosely directed film. I give it 2 stars for its attempt at new concepts.
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