The Worst Person in the World

The Worst Person in the World (2021)

Directed by: Joachim Trier
Written by: Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier
Best Actress at Cannes for Renate Reinsve. 

This film fulfilled me on every level. Firstly, I could relate to 4-5 characters in the film. Of course, the protagonist, Julie, she is 30 and she yet feels like she is still a kid who has to figure out everything in life. She is indecisive. She struggles with career choices, she struggles with her relationships and basically everything. There is a beauty in being indecisive - it basically means that they don't carry your mistakes, and you'll move on as soon as you realize that you're at a wrong place. I could relate to the guys she was dumping, I could relate to her when she was doing it, and I could relate to the new guys she was going to as well. It's like that level of fulfilment. The film basically us everything that happens in the world of modern dating. It takes an empathetic view to everyone, the film never judges the characters and that's the beauty of the film. We usually rush to put labels to everything, even something like cheating - if you have to understand why someone does that, you have to be empathetic and that's exactly what the film does.

On a filmmaking level, I was tripping all out when I was watching this. Classic postmodern cinema. Fragmented narrative style. Non-continuity editing. Voice over and montage. Chapter-wise narration. Beautiful cinematography. Amazing performances, especially Renate was so good and Anders is so good in the ending, I got so teary. The beautiful thing about Renate was that, Julie was feeling guilty for leaving Aksel, but it's only to an extent and that's exactly what comes through Renate's eyes. In the shot where they are spooning, and he grabs her breast and she gently takes his hand away. It's such a beautiful shot - he's still in love and she has completely moved on. I love the scene where she writes an article, and it's read out through voice over. I loveee the party scene where they are goofing around. The film has a tone where it can do whatever it wants to, and yet everything is so coherent to the world of the characters.