Worst Person in the World Review
Happy New Year and 2024 Everyone!
It’s been a while since I have posted on the Substack, but I wanted to bring it back for 2024 starting with a film review. Over my winter break, I watched The Worst Person in the World , and fell in love with this film. I watched it at a very timely moment in my life where I felt like I was the best worst person in the world. This film taught me alot and its story is so well crafted. Hope you guys enjoy this little review and hope you have a great year :)
The Worst Person in the World (2021)
★★★★★ Watched 20 Dec 2023
The first realization that dawned upon me after completing the film is that every viewer can intentionally relate to Julie in one way or another. If that's the case, does it mean all of us are the worst people in the world? Can anyone ever truly claim to be the best person? What does it even mean to be good, bad, or the best? How do we quantify this for those who navigate the spectrum between bad and good, unlike the few extremes where one can identify as either good or bad? There are no easy answers to these questions, but the movie champions these concepts, providing a thought-provoking platform for reflection for the average person watching this film.
Julie is an average woman in her early 30s, just trying to survive in this chaotic, overwhelming, often vibrant, and turbulent world. Uncertain about what she wants to do (given the vastness to explore), she follows vibes and fleeting moments rather than meticulously thinking through everything. Her desire is to feel and experience everything life has to offer, but with that choice come consequences. These consequences include feeling like the villain for breaking someone's heart who loves you when encountering someone new that changes you, acting based on what feels right rather than what may be right and facing the consequences, being unable to confront matters requiring attention, and never truly finding your place because you are always on the move, unable to stay grounded. We witness Julie navigating the ups and downs of love, loss, heartbreak, career changes, family drama, womanhood, existential crises, and more.
The movie accomplishes this adeptly by "reading" her story like a book split into 12 chapters, with each chapter providing insights into Julie's life, all chronologically building off one another. It offers a linear look at Julie's development from point A to point B, yet the development itself feels like waves, ebbing and flowing as Julie moves from place to place. Additionally, each chapter focuses on a different aspect of Julie's life, either indirectly or directly, providing social commentary on the impact of the Internet on youth and culture, the definition and expectations of family, the crisis of climate change for youth and their future, changing concepts of womanhood, embracing our own biology, and the fear of death juxtaposed with the meaning of love. One aspect I truly appreciated about the film is how it seamlessly weaves subtle but direct perspectives on social topics with Julie's personal life in a way that doesn't feel jarring or out of place.
Furthermore, everything in this film is intricately woven together and interconnected. From the feel-good yet emotional and rocking indie tracks in the background to the profound but not cringe-worthy conversations about life and humanity, Renate Reinsve's free-spirited yet demanding performance, and the nuanced dynamics of the characters, this film offers an authentic and complete experience. An extra note about Renate Reinsve's performance, but she successful performs all the subtle emotions of Julie from her subdued facial expression, her childlike energy on screen, and her cheery yet serious conversational tones. This film prompts reflection on moments in life when you felt like the worst person, yet in reality, you were merely trying to live and figure it out. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, as long as you are trying and honest with yourself – you are a person of the world. Making mistakes and living by fleeting moments is natural because it feels easier, but eventually, we must sit down and face the reality of our situations and make a change. Recognizing this and taking the first step toward change is not just a sign of "growing up" or maturity but hardly makes anyone the worst person in the world. Don't be too hard on yourself because there's a lot you have left to give, and sometimes, it happens sooner than you realize!
Thanks for reading this review!