Recommendation: 5/5 SHOWTIME
Plot: “The chronicles of four years in the life of Julie, a young woman who navigates the troubled waters of her love life and struggles to find her career path, leading her to take a realistic look at who she really is.” -IMDB
Review: You could spend the rest of your life watching movies that attempt, with varying degrees of success, to encapsulate the true nature of romantic relationships. With very few exceptions, when I watch these sorts of films, I long for a greater sense of authenticity. I am over stories where everything is solved in two hours or less. This lover of the medium wants truth.
In my estimation, The Worst Person in the World honestly assesses modern love with critical and reflective storytelling. In its execution, it delivers a film that captures what it means to be in your late 20s and early 30s. On full display, is the growing pains associated with finding one’s place in the world and a partner for the journey.
At the center of this story is Julie, played by Renate Reinsye. We can sum Julie up as lost and wandering. As she flirts with a life in medicine, then therapy, and photography, we meet a character wrestling with how best to spend the rest of her life. Over the next twelve chapters that comprise this film, we will watch as romantic fulfillment replaces professional purpose.
If you aren’t meeting this mission statement for your own life, you might find yourself surrounded by people attempting to define it for you. For Julie, they launch assaults with questions about marriage, children, and meaningful work. On more than one occasion, these questions cross the line. From acquaintances and parents, these questions are easily dismissed. From her partner, Aksel, played by Anders Danielsen, the questions send shock waves.
Cracking under the weight of expectation, time stands still for Julie. Seeking escape and safety, Julie runs into the arms of a man who appears to be a perfect match on paper. In Eivind, played by Herbert Nordrum, she finds safety in something new. What began as an evening of mere flirtation is given space to grow and blossom. For a while, this works. Every relationship experiences a honeymoon phase, but they all require work. If a relationship is meant to last, both parties must do the work. Julie, still wandering and lost, is simply not ready to do the work until she discovers some sense of purpose. Once again, she flees, but this leads to an honest breakthrough.
When her orbit once again discovers the pull of Aksel, I shuddered at the damage and trauma that must have remained unaddressed. Over a series of conversations, Julie is forced to confront the pain she caused by leaving. Aksel is dying and doesn’t have a lot of time to live. With finite time confronting him, he shares wisdom that can only be known when staring death in the face.
I found these final moments spent between Julie and Aksel to be revelatory. They made me think back on those relationships in my life that ended badly. Just like Julie, I was forced to see the truth and the harm I did to a person I once loved.
The Worst Person in the World is profound. What it has to say about relationships, self-discovery, and purpose is nuanced, balanced, and real. I found so much of myself in so many of these scenes. It presented lessons I am still attempting to unpack. For this opportunity, I can’t recommend it enough.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
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