Isn't it funny how a 21st-century film can seem like a novel in such a vivid stream of consciousness framework that it would make Virginia Woolf proud? The genre of "The Worst Person in the World" itself borders on dark subversion of conformity, but the true originality of the film is not in its themes, but in the style it uses--a fragile, winsome, ephemeral material that bends and adjusts to the consciousness and feelings of its characters, primarily its captivating protagonist- Julia. It's a pity such artsy films don't receive mainstream attention because even with the Oscar nomination bound to get it some much-needed fame, this Norwegian film is unfortunately likely to fade into obscurity--only to be remembered by film fanatics and intellectual critics. Really, though, this film is a gem that needs to be held in the light.
From the start of the film, I was grinning. The third-person narration already made me feel as if I was engulfing myself in a long, comfortable reading session that also seemed to have a visual component. Nowadays, we don't often find third-person, omniscient narrators in films unless they are reduced to the recital of superficial events necessary for the plot--but here we have a narrator solely focused on the character's inner mental landscape. It's a joy to behold. Yet this narrator only intervened at crucial moments, never becoming overbearing, and often disappeared altogether when dialogue between characters needed to be shown. Like Julia, it was willfully and delightfully inconsistent in the most realistic fashion imaginable. Besides shifting into Julia's perspective, it also made the bold move of portraying an incident from her love-interest's point of view and narrating his life story. The stream of consciousness quality of the narration is made all the more complex when we see an entire sequence in Julia's mind as she fantasizes about time standing still for a few stolen moments. Watching that already made me certain that I was watching a masterpiece. The film takes risks when it comes to stylistic and directorial choices-- the risks set it apart from the typical even when it includes standard motifs like feminism, relationships, fear of having children, cancer, and career stability because it conveys it in a magnificently unique manner.
Renate Reinsave (who plays Julia) aids this impressionistic film marvelously as she's often the sole focus of the camera frame and as an audience, I was never bored. Every expression had nuances that spoke volumes. She seemed to have the gift to convey whirls of emotion in ambiguous, fragmented, and sensitive ways. Her every movement seems to have a purpose and grace rarely seen in cinema.
There are many other things that can be said about the film. But I do not want to say them. This is a film that must be watched and understood alone. Just watch the film. Watch it. Watch it. Watch it.
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