Breaking the Waves poster

Breaking the Waves( 1996)

TV-MADramaRomance
75%
User
Score

Love is a mighty power.

Overview

In a small and conservative Scottish village, a woman's paralytic husband convinces her to have extramarital intercourse so she can tell him about it and give him a reason for living.

    Top Billed Cast

    1. cast image

      Emily Watson

      Bess McNeill

    2. cast image

      Stellan Skarsgård

      Jan Nyman

    3. cast image

      Katrin Cartlidge

      Dodo McNeill

    4. cast image

      Jean-Marc Barr

      Terry

    5. cast image

      Adrian Rawlins

      Dr. Richardson

    6. cast image

      Jonathan Hackett

      Priest

    7. cast image

      Sandra Voe

      Mother

    8. cast image

      Udo Kier

      Sadistic Sailor

    9. cast image

      Mikkel Gaup

      Pits

    10. cast image

      Roef Ragas

      Pim

    11. cast image

      Robert Robertson

      Chairman

    12. cast image

      Phil McCall

      Grandfather

    13. cast image

      Desmond Reilly

      An Elder

    14. cast image

      Sarah Gudgeon

      Sybilla

    15. cast image

      Finlay Welsh

      Coroner

    16. cast image

      David Gallacher

      Glasgow Doctor

    17. cast image

      Ray Jeffries

      Man on Bus

    18. cast image

      Owen Kavanagh

      Man at Lighthouse

    19. cast image

      Bob Docherty

      Man on Boat

    20. cast image

      David Bateson

      Young Sailor

    21. cast image

      Callum Cuthbertson

      Radio Operator

    22. cast image

      Gavin Mitchell

      Police Officer 1

    23. cast image

      Brian Smith

      Police Officer 2

    24. cast image

      Iain Agnew

      Praying Man 1

    25. cast image

      Charles Kearney

      Praying Man 2

    26. cast image

      Steven Leach

      Praying Man 3

    27. cast image

      Dorte Rømer

      Nurse

    28. cast image

      Anthony J. O'Donnell

      Boy 1

    29. cast image

      John Wark

      Boy 2

    30. cast image

      Ronnie McKellaig

      Precentor

    31. cast image

      Peter Bensted

      Ugly Man (voice)

    32. cast image

      Simon Towler Jorfald

      Boy in Film (voice)

    33. cast image

      Klaus Messerschmidt Juhler

      Paramedic (uncredited)

    Social

    Review 2Discussion

    A review by CinemaSerf

    7
    Written by CinemaSerf on Sun Aug 06 2023
    Though I really didn't rate the story so much here, I thought the performance from Emily Watson as "Bess" is formidable. She lives on a remote Scottish island and is to marry oil rig worker "Jan" (Stellan Skarsgård). Somewhat reluctantly, the islanders embrace this and all is happy until she feels the wrench of his return to the rig. Pining for him, she regularly has conversations with God in their small kirk. It's on one such occasion that she begs him to send her husband home to her. Well, he does - but following a tragic accident that has left him completely incapacitated. She is determined ...

    Media

    Videos 3Backdrops 27Posters 33

    Recommendations

    1. The Boss of It All

      The Boss of It All66%

    2. Europa

      Europa73%

    3. The Idiots

      The Idiots65%

    4. The Element of Crime

      The Element of Crime64%

    5. Dancer in the Dark

      Dancer in the Dark79%

    6. The Kingdom

      The Kingdom77%

    7. Willard

      Willard61%

    8. Girl with a Suitcase

      Girl with a Suitcase71%

    9. Eric & Ramzy - Au Palais des Glaces

      Eric & Ramzy - Au Palais des Glaces62%

    10. The Cow

      The Cow77%

    11. The Other Love

      The Other Love60%

    12. I Love You, Daddy

      I Love You, Daddy57%

    13. My Little Loves

      My Little Loves70%

    14. What the Constitution Means to Me

      What the Constitution Means to Me75%

    15. Quatre étoiles

      Quatre étoiles56%

    16. Instinct

      Instinct50%

    17. Resurrection

      Resurrection57%

    18. Fårö Document 1979

      Fårö Document 197966%

    19. No Money, No Sex

      No Money, No Sex90%

    20. A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries

      A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries60%

    Facts

    Status

    Released

    Original Language

    English

    Budget

    7500000.00

    Revenue

    23000000.00

    Keywords

    • underdog
    • dying and death
    • prostitute
    • paraplegic
    • parent child relationship
    • faith
    • scotland
    • society
    • tradition
    • prayer
    • excommunication
    • authority
    • 1970s
    • coercion
    • god
    • priest
    • church
    • polyamory
    • disabled
    • oil rig 
    • oil platform
    • scottish highlands