Breaking the Waves
BREAKING the WAVES
The story was about love, faith and confidence. A small coastal village in North Scotland, in 1970s.The village neighborhood didnt like foreigners, especially when those people worshiped different religions. The public of this village were very pious. In un-developed regions, women arent allowed to participate in the funeral ceremonies.
The film was the first film of a trilogy, the names of which Golden Heart series. The movie was recorded by a hand-held camera, that brings audiences into the place. This technique made the fiction more realistic.
The main character was Bess who had some mental problems and a childish manner. She had to be taken care of by her family members. She was talking with herself with a God Voice and tried to find a way to endure her pain. In the early chapters, we saw, Bess and Jan got married, had an incredible honeymoon and sexual experience. When Jan started to work, she missed him very much and begged God for the return her husband immediately. Everything changed with an accident. When Jan was in the oil-rig, he injured his neck and completely paralyzed. When Bess learned the accident, first she was very happy but then she started to blame herself. Their sex relations remained to fall down that situation. Jan asked her to take a lover and tell him the details. Because Jan knew Besss church wouldnt permit divorce. What do we think about Jans suggestion? Did he really want to get rid of her, for her sake? Or did he just think about himself? I think the story didnt answer this question. We should think about a man who was completely paralyzed and became selfish. Dodo, who was Besss sister-in-law, said sickness is a mighty power They quarreled about Besss situation. Jan believed Bess has more strength than them. Because of the whole painful process, Jan attempted to kill himself. When he failed, he asked Dodo for help for his own suicide. Dodo denied his request, she thought the second death would be very damaging for Bess. Bess had recently lost her brother.
On the other side, Bess started to commit adultery. She believed in God and convinced herself if she did some sacrifices, Jan would be able to recovered. When she mentioned her bus experience, Jans reaction was unclearly. Was he relieved or annoyed? I think the most impressive chapter was the sixth one called Faith. In that chapter she started to go cheap bars and chose the ugliest guys. She punished herself that way. Meanwhile her reputation had become very damaged in the small village. Only Jans doctor and Dodo realized her tough condition. Bess had attempted to seduce the doctor too. Maybe he also liked her too, but didnt want to use her case. Everyone around her started to become aware of her sinful behavior. They even didnt tolerate her attitude. Her church, her neighbors, even her mother, everyone around her rejected her. In those kinds of small villages, people can be very cruel about morality. Which is the biggest sin? Who are the biggest sinners in this condition? Social rules are pressure in a small society. Actually, in this story everybody suffered a lot but they pretended to remain innocent while they pushed her down the cliff. I think miracles arent always fair. They can cause some kind of miserable consequences. At the end of the movie the unexpected miracle happened; the man recovered but he also lost his wife. The villagers wanted to punish her body too. They refused to bury her appropriately. Jan stole the body and gave her a real funeral. She buried at sea with the sound of bells.
Here we have a story which argues what is right or wrong in love. If we were Bess, how many of us could be strong in love? ? To love a man and never hesitate to do some kind of tough sacrifices
psychological, boring, bleak, melodrama, tragedy, romantic, sadist