The Worst Person in the World

At first glance, this is just another conversational relationship movie whose ending is reminiscent of clichéd Hollywood schlock. But the first thing that came to my mind when I woke up the next morning was HE and SHE, intensely, as if I knew them personally, and the story they gave each other. The sunset scene still pains me to this day. When was the last time we saw such an apt and sincere relationship flick? Joachim Trier is a perceptive psychologist with a unique feel for finely drawing characters, which he enlivens with nice filmmaking ideas – stopping time at the moment of falling in love and the fitting animated depiction of a mushroom trip influenced by the weight of one’s current thoughts on life. Renate Reinsve and Anders Danielsen Lie are an outstanding acting duo. (17/03/2022)

A prologue, twelve chapters and an epilogue in the life of the almost thirty-year-old Julia, who is searching for her place in life and trying to come to terms with herself, her emotions and her romantic relationships. This relatively successful attempt at a generational statement, which also attempts to touch on several other serious issues, is captivating with its electrifying directing and likable humor, in addition to the natural performances of the actors playing the three main characters. The smartly written dialogue occasionally comes across as being slightly too clever and the narrative falls apart a bit not only because of its division into chapters, but also because of excessive flitting between the individual motifs, especially towards the end. Therefore, the film is strongest in several very effective and bold details and passages, such as the one with the innocent spark verging on infidelity at a party, the scene of spending a day with the love of a lifetime in a city temporarily frozen in suspended animation, and the one with tripping on mushrooms. The intended poignancy at the end doesn’t happen and the film’s two-hour runtime may be too long due to the slowly waning pace, but even so, spending those two hours with The Worst Person in the World is a pleasant and rewarding experience. (28/08/2021)

So, what did I just watch? A romance or more of a psychological portrait of the main character? Probably a mix of both, but the truth is, after the first fifteen minutes, I was tempted to call it quits because I found myself somewhat bored. However, I stuck with it, and to my surprise, the film remained watchable despite its consistently slow pace. It didn't blow me away, but it wasn't dumb either, and I can comfortably agree with many of the ideas it presented. The overly drawn-out runtime is a major drawback, though, so I'll settle on a generous three stars. / Lesson learned: Take a moment to think before you judge someone. (15/05/2022)

Despite its title, The Worst Person in the World is a good-hearted and forgiving romantic drama about finding your way in life, finding yourself, and discovering everyone around you. Although I was initially concerned about the long running time, the two hours spent in the company of the movie’s endearing characters just flew by quite nicely. Despite that, however, I wish the ending of the whole narrative was a lot more gripping. [KVIFF 2021] (14/09/2021)

There's no question that The Worst Person in the World has cinematic value. At certain parts, I even felt like I was watching something so amazing that I wasn’t even sure I could fully grasp it in the moment. The deft use of music, sound, and silence was just perfect. So was the cinematography and the visuals of the film. Some of the conversations, the moments – my God – are so incredibly good and pleasantly uninhibited. The choice of actors fantastically complements the visuals I mentioned. And yet there were so many times I was wishing it was over already. I wish the chapters had gone by faster, and that they would never lose their original freshness. So they wouldn't sink into suffocation. I was literally craving even the smallest joke so I could drop the weight from my shoulders for a bit. A film in which I can see fragments of genius, but also feel an almost torturous lack of comprehension. (09/04/2022)