Breaking the waves is a film that really just feels inspired. Von Trier and company craft painfully realized characters that we ride along the highs and lows with.The story is simple and powerful. Bess a young woman in a draconian Christian society marries a slightly worldly man named Jan. Jan works on an offshore Oil derrick and Bess can't deal with his absence. Disaster strikes and life spirals out of control.
The film is staged in such a manor that it feels painfully real. The lighting is never overt or theatrical but simply true to life (which makes sense for Mr Dogme95). The performance by Emily Watson is so real and filled with life it gives every moment of elation or depression a truly painful weight. Not to mention Stellan Skarsgard continues his fantastic screen presence, his calm to Bess's innocent excitability makes for brilliant chemistry.
It's not a ridicolous as Dancer in the Dark but when the film gets heavy its real heavy. It can be hard to watch and its not for everybody. But its powerful story and underplayed yet stylish feel not to mention a career making performance by Emily Watson make for a great film.
"Bess I'm so sorry"
5/5
2 comments:
look who's back
I'd like to know who's back but I don't even know who this is.
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