Breaking the Waves (1996)

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7.8	Rating (438 ratings)
7.8	IMDB rating

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Directed by

Lars von Trier

Starring (View all)

Emily Watson
Bess McNeill

Stellan Skarsgård
Jan Nyman

Katrin Cartlidge
Dodo McNeill

Jean-Marc Barr
Terry

Adrian Rawlins
Dr. Richardson

Jonathan Hackett
Priest

Sandra Voe
Mother

Udo Kier
Sadistic Sailor

Written by

Lars von Trier

Peter Asmussen
(co-written by)

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Breaking the Waves Videos

Leonard Cohen - Suzanne (video clip)

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Breaking the waves - Trailer

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Bess' talent

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Reviews

Review

12 years, 11 months ago at Dec 18 18:05

3-ILLED

Breaking the Waves is a 1996 film directed by Lars von Trier and starring Emily Watson. Set in the Scottish Highlands in the early 1970s, it tells the story of an unusual young woman, Bess McNeill, and of the love she has for Jan, her husband. The film is an international co-production led by Lars von Trier's Danish company Zentropa.

Breaking the Waves tells the story of Bess McNeill... read more

A good movie

11 years, 5 months ago at Jul 4 14:32

johanlefourbe

I already saw this movie but since it was such a long time ago, I was quite eager to check it out again. Well, I'm really glad I gave this movie a second look after all these years. Indeed, as a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure it was the first movie directed by von Trier which I have seen but, to be honest, at the time, even though it had been universally heralded, I have to admit that I didn’... read more

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Description: Drama set in a repressed, deeply religious community in the north of Scotland, where a naive young woman named Bess McNeil (Emily Watson) meets and falls in love with Danish oil-rig worker Jan (Stellan Skarsgaard). Bess and Jan are deeply in love but, when Jan returns to his rig, Bess prays to God that he returns for good. Jan does return, his neck broken in an accident aboard the rig. Because of his condition, Jan and Bess are now unable to enjoy a sexual relationship and Jan urges Bess to take another lover and tell him the details. As Bess becomes more and more deviant in her sexual behaviour, the more she comes to believe th ... (more)

Release date: 13 November 1996
UPC: 707729100454

Tags: Drama (17), 1990s (13), Religion (12), 1996 (10), Romance (9), Oil Rig (8), Disability (7), Denmark (7), Nurse (6), Accident (5), Sacrifice (5), Iceland (4), Love (4), Funeral (4), Sweden (4), British (3), France (3), Scotland (3)

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" Breaking the Waves is a 1996 psychological drama film directed and co-written by Lars von Trier and starring Emily Watson in her feature film acting debut, and with Stellan Skarsgård, a frequent collaborator with von Trier. Drama set in a repressed, deeply religious community in the north of Scotland, where a naive young woman named Bess McNeil meets and falls in love with Danish oil-rig worker Jan. Bess and Jan are deeply in love but, when Jan returns to his rig, Bess prays to God that he "

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" Notes: Lars von Trier I’m pretty sure it was the first movie directed by Lars von Trier which I have seen but, to be honest, I didn’t like it much. Indeed, when it was released, it was universally heralded so I had some pretty huge expectations but I thought it was rather disappointing. I mean, it is not that it was a bad movie, far from it. Indeed, I really enjoyed Lars von Trier’s directing and I could see why this movie was so loved. Furthermore, I have to admit, Emily Watson was abso"

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