The Worst Person in the World (2021) Neon/Comedy-Drama RT: 128 minutes Rated R (sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use, some language) Director: Joachim Trier Screenplay: Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier Music: Ola Flottum Cinematography: Kasper Tuxen Release date: February 4, 2022 (US) Cast: Renate Reinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie, Herbert Nordrum, Hans Olav Brenner, Helene Bjorneby, Vidar Sandem, Maria Grazia Di Meo, Lasse Gretland, Karen Roise Kielland, Marianne Krogh, Thea Stabell, Deniz Kaya, Eia Skjonsberg. Spoken in Norwegian w/English subtitles
Rating: *** ½
Does anybody really have it all figured out? Life, that is. By what age should somebody have their act together? When does “adulthood” actually begin? Those are some real toughies, no? They’ve been considered by many a young person down through the ages. Director Joachim Trier (Oslo, August 31st) explores these big questions through the prism of the capricious protagonist of his insightful yet whimsical rom-com/drama The Worst Person in the World, one of this year’s nominees for Best International Feature.
Said protagonist is Julie (Reinsve, Oslo, August 31st), a young woman still navigating life and love at age 30. It’s pretty common these days for young people to take their time in choosing the right path for their lives. Like Julie, they drift from one thing to the next, never settling on one thing for too long. They need time to decide which career or romantic partner suits them best. It’s a process. This wasn’t the case for previous generations. In one of the film’s most defining moments, Julie observes where her female ancestors were at her age. They were already married with children. Why can’t she get it together? Is there something wrong with her?
Right away, Trier makes The Worst Person in the World his own by dividing it into 12 chapters bookended by a prologue and epilogue. Some last longer than others; each one presents a different episode in Julie’s life. The prologue shows her constantly redefining herself as she constantly changes career goals. Each time, she changes her appearance as if to signify the birth of a new Julie. She switches the focus of her education from medicine to psychology. Then she decides she wants to be a photographer. It’s during this time she becomes romantically involved with Aksel (Lie, 22 July), a controversial comic book artist 15 years her senior. This huge age gap comes with the expected issues like being in different places in life. He expresses a desire to start a family; she’s not sure if she even wants to have children. Of course, that could change. Who knows?
Aksel isn’t the only man in Julie’s life. Early on, she leaves a publishing event early and spontaneously decides to crash a wedding where she meets Eivind (Nordrum), a barista with no real ambition. Like Julie, he’s drifting through life looking for something he’s unable to define. They spend a meaningful night together. They’re intimate, but they never actually cheat on their respective partners. They part ways without learning full names lest they’re tempted to look each other up on social media. Chance brings them together again. Now Julie has a choice to make. Should she stay with Aksel? He’s the safe choice, but stability isn’t what she thinks she wants right now. What if she follows her impulses and chooses Eivind? He makes more sense as a romantic partner, but will their relationship work without a solid foundation? Of course, it’s something she’ll have to explore for herself.
The title The Worst Person in the World does NOT refer to Julie. Eivind describes himself as such as he recounts the decline of his relationship with environmental activist girlfriend Sunniva (Di Meo, Gritt) in the one chapter that doesn’t focus on Julie. Here’s the thing. Julie isn’t a bad person. Sure, she can be self-centered and impulsive, but she’s not a narcissist. Quite the opposite, she cares about others. Yes, she often puts her needs and desires first, but she means no harm. That’s the way I see her anyway. She’s one of the most interesting main characters I’ve encountered in a while.
WHY THE HELL ISN’T REINSVE UP FOR AN OSCAR?! She delivers a phenomenal performance as Julie, a work in progress seeking direction. She has unresolved issues like the father (Sandem) who consistently neglects her. He always has an excuse for not being there for her. It’s been that way all her life. It’s one of things holding her back. Reinsve’s abundance of talent can be clearly seen all throughout her character’s evolving arc. In allowing us to observe Julie over time and in distinct facets, Trier allows his leading lady to show her full range while building a character in small but immensely emotionally telling modulations. If this doesn’t make Reinsve a star, nothing will.
As Aksel, Lie brings his A-game. A man of a certain age, he has more life experience than Julie. Being significantly older, he’s afraid he’s losing his edge. The comic book he created, a Fritz-like feline named Bobcat, is now problematic. He’s fighting a losing battle with feminist critics who regard him as misogynistic. A movie adaptation has turned the edgy character into a kid-friendly cartoon. He’s lost in a world that no longer makes sense to him. Despite being in different places emotionally, Aksel and Julie clearly love each other. Sadly, “bad timing” dooms their relationship. Lie makes you feel for Aksel, a decent person who wants to take care of Julie even if he doesn’t fully understand her mindset.
Nordrum is also quite good as Eivind, a young man who also doesn’t know what he wants out of life. He and Julie share remarkable chemistry, but are they right for each other? Will he help her to grow or prevent growth?
The Worst Person in the World is just about perfect. The acting, writing and directing are all brilliant. Trier is a genius when it comes to flights of fancy. There’s this one great scene where the world literally stands still as Julie races across Oslo for a romantic encounter with Eivind. In her mind, time stops for her to make a big life decision. It perfectly illustrates the mindset of all young people as they make decisions that will alter the course of their lives.
Unlike most Nordic films, The Worst Person in the World isn’t a dreary, gloomy affair. Cinematographer Kasper Tuxen infuses it with plenty of light while the music of Harry Nilsson gives it a deceptively cheery tone. It’s darkly funny and sad at the same time. It can be deeply felt as we follow Julie though big and small episodes from her life as she idles at a crossroads. At the same time, her restless spirit keeps her moving. There’s no design to life and it doesn’t always go where we hope, but we keep on going. We must embrace our own timeline. That’s the message of The Worst Person in the World. It’s one that millennials need to hear.
