The Worst Person in the World

 

Norwegian writer / director Joachim Trier was nominated for an Oscar this year along with his frequent collaborator Eskil Vogt for the screenplay for The Worst Person in the World (2021), the only foreign language film considered. It lost to Kenneth Branagh's Belfast, a much more cinematically dynamic picture, with a more conventional structure and story arc.

Told in 12 chapters with a prologue and epilogue, "Worst Person" is the story of an emotionally rootless young woman, Julie (Renate Reinsve), who might best be described as chronically indecisive rather than girlishly whimsical, although the latter might be a first impression.

She meets a serious older man named Aksel (Anders Danielsen Lie), the creator of a hardcore comic books series. They make for an unusual couple in his tribe of 40-somethings with children. Julie enjoys Aksel's attention at first but his tendency to condescend wears on her. She gets restless and combative.

One evening on her own, she crashes a wedding reception and meets Eivind (Herbert Nordrum). Despite both being in committed relationships, they flirt and exchange sexual fantasies but refrain from "cheating." Another chance meeting between the two at Julie's bookstore gives her reason to begin to pull away from Aksel.

The break-up conversation is the most probing exchange of its kind I've seen rendered in film. It is alternately wounding and conciliatory. Trier films it with jump cuts and shifting perspectives to reflect the passage of time and the confusion between two highly verbal people, who use words as weapons. A brilliant bit of writing.

Julie's life with Eivind seems to offer her some of what living with Aksel lacked, most particulary someone who held as little interest in self-reflection as she did. That's not to say this pairing would be any more satisfying, for Julie is without clear definition or purpose, which is why she skates through life, endearing herself to others at one turn and tearing herself away at the next.

All three principal players are terrific in these interior roles, and Trier knows how to make room for ambiguity. All three characters are well acquainted with uncertainty and how difficult that makes recognizing when you're happy. (Hulu)