As happens so often Emily Watsons debut movie sees a totally unself conscious ability to craft the part better than any experienced actor could. Luckily she is supported by a cast who all excel too, Katrin Cartlidge is amazing. The story is authentic and grittily observed and the direction clearly gets the very best from all of the actors in order to tell the story in the best way. My only criticism is the awful, ridiculous, drunken photography that you simply can't call art, or cutting edge, or new technique, or anything else other than...awful. It actually spoiled the film for me and it would easily have gotten a 9.5 from me if they'd filmed it properly. Watch it though...you won't be sorry if you love good acting and good story telling. A fabulous movie from the totally overrated Lars von Trier, would never have guessed that.

An intelligent but slow commentary on the battle between religion and science. It is both deeply mocking and faithful to the former but not without a sour aftertaste.2. Terrible. Never, never, never again.4. Average, mildly entertained but unaffected. The first viewing was enough.6. Willfully would rewatch and get excited when brought up casually in conversation. 8. Force related conversations because of a need to talk about, promote and relive the film.10. A work of art that radically develops one's self comically, emotionally, morally or imaginatively with lasting effect.

"Breaking the Waves" is an emotionally potent (though rather heavy) romantic drama for its first half and then a cruel exercise in sadistic torture for its second. What starts as a relatively normal drama about a newly married couple struck by tragedy when the husband is paralyzed in an oil rig accident transforms into something much more intense, upsetting and emotionally manipulative. Von Trier is obviously known as a provocateur, and this film is no different. I guess what surprises me is that most people seem generally moved by this film. While I'd agree with that in relation to its first half, which feels very genuine and humanist, it's second half is something else entirely.For a long time it's about the undying power of love in the face of physical hardships and it is very touching. Then one scene changes the films entire course and sends an already very heavy emotionally draining drama straight into the pits of hell. Character actions stop making sense, our protagonist goes down an easily avoidable path of self- destruction in a misguided attempt to save her husband, and the audience is dragged through the mud in increasingly uncomfortable, and sometimes absurd ways. By the time the wife decides to go back a second time to this mysterious rape boat owned by Udo Kier as a means of curing her husband (it's as odd as it sounds), you know you're not really watching the same film.I've enjoyed many of Von Trier's movies, and while this review might sound on the contrary, I enjoyed this one a lot too. I watched it on blu ray and it looked fantastic. Say what you will of Von Trier's visual aesthetic (which, with its grainy hand-held photography, is admittedly exhausting), the new high definition transfer really brings out the depth and raw beauty in his images. It is not a sloppy looking film as some have argued.What is most unsettling about Breaking the Waves is how it just kind of dramatically explodes halfway through, and while I don't really find it very moving (it's too sick and mean-spirited to feel very genuine, especially it's appalling "happy" ending), it is fascinating and absorbing all the way through. I don't think it quite works, but I appreciate its willingness to take the audience on an excruciating journey and let them ponder on such interesting topics as religious faith and the power (or absence) of God. Emily Watson is a revelation and Bess is a fantastic character. Even when Von Trier manipulates the narrative in the cruelest and most unnecessary ways just to further torture this poor woman, she still anchors the entire film. I do feel like the second half betrays her character to some degree, but it's still a perfectly modulated performance from beginning to end. She has two standout scenes in the second half that I find very troubling, but also undeniably powerful.My final point is that Lars Von Trier is insane and while this is one of his more normal looking movies, it is anything but. Proceed with caution.

Winner of the Grand Prix award at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival, & the first in Lars Von Trier's "Golden Heart Trilogy". "Breaking The Waves" is a cruel, yet somewhat touching film based on a twisted sense of innocence and love. No matter what happens after the credits, the outcome will leave you heartbroken and empty."The Golden Heart" trilogy in a nutshell involves the female protagonist to remain completely naive throughout the story, and virtually give all of herself up to and for the people she loves.Bess (Emily Watson), is a lady with a history of mental problems and is set to marry her beloved Jan (Stellan Skarsgard), despite the negative reactions of her church and family. What begins as a fiery month of passion, tragedy strikes. Though Bess remains faithful, Jan has ideas for Bess that he believes will keep Bess satisfied, and remove any further motivations for suicide.Gut-wrenching to say the least, "Breaking The Waves" is clearly the breakout movie for Von Trier and everyone else involved. Especially that of Emily Watson, whose powerhouse performance will challenge you on just how far you are willing to go with her on this twisted tale. Saying that, story has never been the strongest point of Von Trier's movies, and I easily found myself connecting the cruel twists of fate in this picture to his later work "Dancer In The Dark" (2000). Situations become too bizarre and ludicrous, just for the sake of beating down this poor woman (I guess that was the overall idea). Still with these kind of setups, the actors have incredible potential and a broad range of emotions available. Shot with Trier's Dogme95 Manifesto, the grainy hillsides of Scotland help lift the fog off the ground, and build a landscape that manages to echo that of its subject matter efficiently and eloquently.Final Verdict: Told in chapters to some superb music cues and locations, This depressive story shall grind you down like no other throughout, yet somehow by the end it manages to instill a sense of hope and optimism rarely seen in cinema. Or at least more than most blatant Hollywood romances go. 7/10.