A woman struggles to find direction in The Worst Person in the World, the latest from co-writer/director Joachim Trier.
In case you’ve missed it, Trier has been, quietly, one of the best filmmakers of the last 15 years. No, he has nothing to do with that other Trier (they’re distantly related, but their films have starkly different views on humanity). His films aren’t happy, per se, but they are extraordinarily generous to their messed-up characters, whether they’re a recovering drug addict confronting their past (Oslo, August 31st) or a budding lesbian with superpowers (Thelma).
The Worst Person in the World is a return to what Trier and writing partner Eskil Vogt does best: digging deep into a person through a familiar genre lens. This time it’s a romantic comedy, with Julie moving less than gracefully through her early adulthood. She finds a partner, struggles with him, finds another, struggles with him. She’s directionless, occasionally cruel, but the worst person in the world? Sounds more like her overly critical judgment of herself.
Trier staple Anders Danielsen Lie plays the first partner, so expect his usual stunning performance. The other two leads are relative newcomers, with Herbert Nordrum as the second partner and Renate Reinsve as the wayward Julie. Reinsve is the pivotal player here, and after winning Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival, it seems she was a good risk to take.
Critics and audiences have been raving about this one during its festival run, so definitely check it out if you can. Also, since this is the end of Trier’s Oslo trilogy, check out Reprise and Oslo, August 31st if you haven’t seen them. I vouch for all three.
The Worst Person in the World is directed by Joachim Trier and stars Renate Reinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie, and Herbert Nordrum. It will be released in the US on February 4th, 2022. For international release dates, click here.
Will you be judging Julie? Let us know in the comments!
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