The Worst Person in the World Review: Joachim Trier’s Masterpiece on Love and Self-Discovery

Discovering Joachim Trier’s Masterpiece on Netflix

Following my recent viewing of director Joachim Trier’s newly released film Sentimental Value, I naturally developed a deep interest in his previous works. This curiosity led me to discover and stream The Worst Person in the World (2021) on Netflix. While watching a director’s filmography in exact chronological order has its own merits, I feel incredibly fortunate to have finally encountered this magnificent piece of Norwegian cinema, even if it is a bit late. Because Sentimental Value left such a profound impression on me with its delicate and highly literary directing style, my expectations for this critically acclaimed Netflix movie were naturally very high.

The Fateful Casting of Actress Renate Reinsve

This film feels even more special and immersive because of the unique narrative and deep off-screen connection between director Joachim Trier and the lead actress, Renate Reinsve. Renate Reinsve, who also delivered a powerful and commanding performance in Sentimental Value, was reportedly on the verge of quitting acting entirely because her career had not been taking off. However, a proactive casting offer from Joachim Trier to play the lead role in this film completely transformed her life and acting trajectory. Starting from this fateful casting decision, both the director and the actress successfully achieved global fame and critical acclaim in the international film industry.

Global Acclaim and Academy Award Nominations

For her overwhelming, nuanced, and incredibly realistic performance in this film, Renate Reinsve won the prestigious Best Actress award at the 74th Cannes Film Festival. Director Joachim Trier also proved his exceptional ability to explore complex human psychology and construct solid narratives, earning well-deserved nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards. After watching both of these remarkable films back-to-back, it became glaringly obvious that the director possesses an unrivaled and brilliant cinematic sense for depicting subtle psychological shifts and bringing the minute tremors of human emotion to life on the screen in a three-dimensional way.

A Profoundly Delicate and Female-Centric Perspective

The emotional undercurrent that pierces through this entire film and the way it handles the protagonist’s deeply anxious psychology is so meticulous and prominently female-centric that it is hard to believe it was directed by a man. If one were to watch this movie without any prior information, it would be highly reasonable to assume that a female director was behind the camera, given the profound understanding and expression of the protagonist’s complex mindset and the biological and social agonies of women. Despite the fact that perspectives often differ based on gender, culture, or national background, this film captures the universal wanderings and relationship uncertainties experienced by a woman in her late twenties with astonishing precision and sharpness.

Beyond Romance: A Realistic Coming-of-Age Story

Although the film was released in South Korea with the highly emotional and romanticized title Everyone Becomes the Worst When in Love, the original Norwegian title, Verdens verste menneske (The Worst Person in the World), fits the core message of the work much better. Throughout the entire viewing experience, I strongly questioned whether this film should be interpreted strictly within the limited framework of romantic "love" between a man and a woman. Instead, it is much more accurate to view this movie as a highly realistic, fiercely fought coming-of-age story where an imperfect human being uses love and relationships as a medium to desperately search for life’s direction and firmly establish a complete sense of self.

Julie’s Journey: Ambition, Choices, and the Age Gap

In the early parts of the film, the protagonist Julie, who is constantly exploring her career path while studying medicine, accidentally attends a party where she meets and falls in love with an acclaimed comic book artist named Aksel. Julie frequently changes her major and interests—from psychology to photography—appearing to give up easily, but this can be deeply understood as the painful, trial-and-error process of self-discovery that youth in their twenties inevitably endure. Due to their significant age gap of fifteen years, Aksel initially tries to push her away. However, Julie proactively asserts that such societal obstacles do not matter, initiating a cohabitation with him and plunging headfirst into a serious, long-term relationship.

The Invisible Wall of Alienation and Identity Crisis

However, as their relationship becomes more stable, an unidentifiable sense of emptiness and alienation begins to take root deep within Julie’s mind. In one of the most striking scenes—Aksel’s comic book publication party—Julie appears dressed in a stunning gown, yet her independent presence within that glamorous space is thoroughly erased. The attendees only shower praise upon the successful author, Aksel, and no one attempts to engage in a serious conversation about Julie’s own life, career, or thoughts. Existing merely as a passive partner supporting Aksel’s shining achievements, Julie feels an intense sense of isolation and alienation even amidst the beautiful natural surroundings.

A Fateful and Dangerous Encounter with Eivind

As Aksel’s professional success reaches a stable trajectory and his social standing solidifies, Julie hits a massive, invisible wall, realizing she has been reduced to a mere accessory lingering beside a successful man without achieving anything of her own. During this emotional turmoil, Julie impulsively crashes a stranger's wedding party and coincidentally meets a new, intriguing character named Eivind. Openly acknowledging that they both currently have partners, the two share their secret tastes and inner thoughts within a strict boundary that avoids physical infidelity, exchanging an intense mental and emotional intimacy. They walk a tightrope of dangerous conversation, actively rationalizing to themselves that this emotional connection is not a betrayal of their current lovers.

The Magical Illusion of Time Stopping for Love

Even though they part ways cleanly in the early morning air without so much as exchanging contact information, Julie becomes acutely aware of her lingering outsider status in her boring daily life surrounded by Aksel’s older, settled acquaintances. Later, when she runs into Eivind again by feigning coincidence at his workplace, Julie is overcome with an indescribable sense of euphoria and true liberation. The iconic scene where Julie leaves Aksel behind and runs toward Eivind features a magical cinematic sequence where all the time in the world seems to freeze. The fact that this awe-inspiring scene was created not with computer graphics (CG) but by having numerous background actors physically stand perfectly still on the streets elevates the visual immersion to an absolute maximum.

The Struggle Between Complete Independence and Commitment

Even after starting a new romance and letting time pass, Julie's life remains a continuous series of difficult choices and internal conflicts. In particular, the unresolved difference in values regarding having a "child"—which was a major point of contention in her previous relationship with Aksel—is directly tied to the issue of Julie's complete independence and self-worth. While Aksel desperately wanted to build a stable family and have children, Julie, who could not even perfectly control her own life yet, felt extreme pressure at the prospect of taking full responsibility for another human being. The expression "The Worst" mentioned in the title sharply points out the selfish and fragile nature of human beings who, despite constantly wavering and hurting others in relationships, ultimately have no choice but to prioritize their own desires and well-being first.

Embracing Selfishness for the Sake of Self-Preservation

No matter how deeply we love or how devoted we are to a partner, at crucial moments, every human being is inherently a selfish creature who looks out for their own life and emotional wounds first. For the sake of my own complete growth and personal freedom, even if it means leaving a cruel scar on the person I love, it might just be the natural providence of human nature to choose to protect oneself rather than collapse entirely. Julie's trajectory, where she ultimately must put herself first despite sharing the pain, is a bitter yet brutally honest portrait of modern humanity. The film concludes with a heavy, lingering resonance, showing the matured face of Julie who, after countless trials and errors, is finally walking alone toward the professional achievements and life she truly desired, free from the gaze of others or the confines of a romantic relationship.