The Worst Person in the World
(21 November 2023)
Joachim Trier | Norway *** | 2021 | 15 | 128 mins | Norwegian | Trailer
Julie is a millennial in Oslo, hilariously unsure about what she wants to do with her life. She is initially a medical student but then, with wide-eyed certainty, tells her long-suffering mum she wants to change course to psychology – loftily declaring that she finds the mind more interesting than the body – and then decides she wants to go into photography. She is stuck in the act of chasing after things – men, jobs, desires – before she even knows what she wants. It’s the unintended consequence of freedom of choice without freedom from expectation. Renate Reinsve is utterly beguiling playing Julie, in Norwegian director Joachim Trier’s tender, yet subversive relationship comedy, deservedly winning the Best Actress award at Cannes. The film was also nominated for 2 Oscars and 2 BAFTAs.