Review of Breaking the Waves (1996) by Kevin G — 07 Mar 2011

Call Lars Von Trier a misogynistic pig if you want, but he makes some of the most interesting movies about relationships, religion, sex and just about everything else. This is presented in beautiful 35mm stock in order to get that home movie look that is perfect for all the close ups and hand held tactics.

While this certainly is a great looking movie, it is not without incredible performances and unforgettable characters. Both Emily Watson and Stellan Skarsgard convince us in less than 10 minutes that they are truly and deeply in love, which is no easy feat.

Then, they manage to give so much emotion and physicality (well, not Skarsgard obviously) to their respecting roles that the tragedy/love epic is as effective as intended. Von Trier's understanding of what it takes to capture a powerful performance while also keeping in mind the visual aesthetics is unmatched.

It's as if everything was so meticulously casual that it becomes almost ridiculous to try and fathom how he gets some of the shots he does. I love the way this plays around with faith and religion.

It manages to give criticism, but at the same time respect people's beliefs. Von Trier's work is so stylized and particular that I can see why he has his critics, but at the same time it's easy to see why so many people worship him.