There's a lot to love about 'The Worst Person in the World'

Renate Reinvse grapples with her life choices in “The Worst Person in the World.” (Neon Pictures)

"The Worst Person in the World"
Directed by Joachim Trier
Rated R
Now Playing in Theaters

Few things can make us feel as low as the knowledge we're about to break somebody's heart. Director Joachim Trier anchors a movie around that notion as "The Worst Person in the World" balances the delight and devastation that comes with relationships, but how necessary these moments are as our life unfolds.

The movie introduces us to Julie (Renate Reinvse), a twenty-something Norwegian woman whose life remains in flux. She has yet to settle on a career (she works at a bookstore while practicing photography occasionally) and bounces through romantic partners until she meets Aksel (Anders Danielsen Lie), a comic book artist 15 years her senior. The two enter into a long relationship, move in together, and entertain their social circles. Still, the prospect of children is a source of friction. One night while Aksel is featured at an art exhibition, Julie crashes a wedding. She meets a young man named Evinid (Herbert Nordrum). While nothing physical happens between them, the two are intensely attracted, causing Julie to consider a life apart from Aksel.

Trier organically captures the emotions we feel throughout the highs and lows of love: The titillating excitement when you begin flirting with an attractive person. The ambivalence when you look at your longtime partner and wonder if it's sustainable. The emotional wave of a breakup and how a seemingly simple conversation and decision last the whole day. The moment when you realize you love somebody and the entire world stops.

Complimenting this comedy-drama is another medium that excels in conveying the pleasures and pains of love. Here, the soundtrack is a mood-enhancing exploration of music, blending contemporary dance, punk, instrumental, and well-known favorites. The score by Ola Fløttum seamlessly blends with songs by Harry Nilsson, Art Garfunkel, Le SuperHomard, Guts, and more, to illuminate the mindset of the characters in the movie.

But the true highlight of the movie is the magnetic lead performance of Reinvse. Her Julie is empathetic and charming, a young woman who reacts with maturity even when she's riddled with self-doubt and guilt. Reinvse wields her smile like a weapon, mostly hidden within her depths until Julie reaches the moment of confidence and freedom, and we cannot help but be drawn in with her heart when that happiness is fully expressed.

"The Worst Person in the World" is a beautiful treasure, a modern romance that somehow feels timeless. It's one of the best movies of the year.

TL;DR Verdict: Add to Watchlist