The Worst Person in the World (2021)
“I’m sure I remember things about you that you’ve forgotten.” – Aksel.
The Worst Person in the World (2021)
Directed by: Joachim Trier
Written by: Joachim Trier, Eskil Vogt
Starring: Renate Reinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie, Herbert Nordrum
If this doesn’t win Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars I’m going to have a conniption.
A romance disguised as a tragedy disguised as a comedy disguised as a drama, the narrative structure of this movie is beautiful. Split into 12 chapters, the film follows Julie, a late-20s professional as she tries to work out what she wants from her life, and who she really is, over a four-year period.
As a fellow late-20s professional who just had a quarter-life crisis (‘quarter-life epiphany’ probably sounds nicer, let’s go with that) I found the introspection in this movie incredibly relatable. Julie struggles with idea of transitioning from youth to adulthood, the imposter syndrome that comes with this, and attempts to define what is important to her as she negotiates serious relationships.
Using romance as a vehicle, the film feels more interested in our search for identity, and the idea that we have to be happy with ourselves before we can be happy with a partner. I can’t say I particularly ‘liked’ any of the main characters, but their conversations and interactions were so raw that I felt invested in their relationships, and this added to the relatability of Julie’s story.
Have you ever met someone you just ‘click’ with? Do you ever think about how different your life would be if you had or hadn’t made a particular decision? Julie’s journey explores the idea that our lives are just a complicated and random sequence of events, and the danger of overthinking our choices.
Happy, sad, romantic, and tragic, The Worst Person in the World is a self-reflective romance you should watch in a dark, quiet room, alone with your thoughts. Not for everyone, but it definitely hit me right in the feels.
Rating: 8.5/10