A frozen moment of time - You're in love

Medical student Juliet (Renate Reinsve) grows tired of medical studies and changes her major to psychology. She is briefly joyed, but becomes bored again. She decides that she wants to be a photographer.

Her impulsive and capricious nature is replicated in her love life as well. She meets Aksel (Anders Danielsen Lie), a well-known comic artist 15 years older than her, but struggles with age and character difference. Her successful boyfriend exposes her inferiority. Juliet soon falls in love with Eivind (Herbert Nordrum), who is opposite of Aksel.

Norwegian film ‘The Worst Person in the World, released on Thursday, appears to be another romance comedy, but the film does not only focus on romance alone. Romance is simply a means that is used for Juliet to seek herself and grow. The point is watching Juliet, who claims that she is playing a supporting role of her own life, own her life. Renate Reinsve, who won the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Festival last year, depicts subtle evolving emotions towards her partners. One can understand why she deserved the award while watching her expression‎ when she feels deprived towards her successful boyfriend - a manifestation of a complex feeling that cannot be explicitly put into words.

The scene of Juliet crossing the streets of Oslo, Norway to meet Eivind is depicted by putting a stop to all the motions of the people surrounding them. It is a fine, fantasy-like capture of the moment of those in love.


Hyo-Ju Son hjson@donga.com