--- title: "The Worst Person in the World: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-worst-person-in-the-world/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-worst-person-in-the-world" critics_score: 81 critics_reviews: 26 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Worst Person in the World (2021): what the critics said Critics' score 81 from 26 reviews: 23 positive, 2 mixed, 1 negative. The reviews are warm and broadly agreed. Most critics find Joachim Trier’s film funny, tender and wistful, and nearly all of them put Renate Reinsve at the centre of their praise, calling her performance the reason Julie’s mistakes never turn the audience against her. Anders Danielsen Lie’s Aksel draws the next largest share of attention, several critics naming his later scenes as the film’s most moving. The sequence in which time stops as Julie runs through Oslo is picked out more than once. The reservations are about the final stretch. Several critics, IndieWire and Deadline among them, feel the last act turns tidier and more conventional than the fragmented storytelling before it. Sight and Sound questions how indulgent the film is towards Julie. The one real dissent comes from The i Paper, which finds the film cold and its romanticising of indecision tired, while still admiring Reinsve. The spread is otherwise narrow. ## Radio Times — Max Copeman Rating 5/5. Copeman finds the film wistful, warm and deeply affecting. He singles out Renate Reinsve’s charismatic, relatable performance as the reason Julie’s mistakes never make her seem villainous. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-yd9u1d/the-worst-person-in-the-world/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Rating 5/5. 8 July 2021. Festival review. Bradshaw calls the film a tender, funny and beguiling romantic coming-of-age story, an instant classic. He especially praises Renate Reinsve’s sensitive, sympathetic performance and says it makes her a star. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/jul/08/the-worst-person-in-the-world-review-cannes-2021) ## Empire — Ella Kemp Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 21 March 2022. Kemp calls the film a truthful, tender masterpiece and finds its portrayal of love and growing up deeply affecting. She especially praises Renate Reinsve’s tour-de-force performance and the film’s naturalistic, wise script. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/the-worst-person-in-the-world/) ## Little White Lies — Hannah Strong Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). Festival review. The critic calls the film a sweet, funny, keenly observed character study and suggests it could become a future classic. She particularly praises the central trio’s chemistry and the film’s sharp, truthful dialogue. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/festivals/the-worst-person-in-the-world-cannes-film-festival-review) ## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 3 February 2022. Chang finds the film charming, wistful and tender, praising its empathetic portrayal of Julie’s changing sense of self. He singles out Renate Reinsve’s thrilling, quicksilver performance as the film’s center of gravity. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-02-03/worst-person-in-the-world-review-joachim-trier) ## Slant Magazine — Pat Brown Rating 3.5/4. 15 July 2021. Festival review. The critic sees the film as a lively, affecting restoration of the romantic comedy that makes familiar themes feel significant again. Renate Reinsve’s nuanced performance is singled out for giving Julie a sense of depth and subjectivity. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-worst-person-in-the-world-review-joachim-trier/) ## Variety — Guy Lodge Rating Critics Pick. 8 July 2021. Festival review. Lodge calls the film a lovely, wise paean to unrest and indecision. He especially praises Renate Reinsve’s fluid performance and the fragile chemistry she shares with Anders Danielsen Lie. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/the-worst-person-in-the-world-review-1235014608/) ## Vulture — Angelica Jade Bastién Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 3 February 2022. Bastién finds the film piercingly observant, openhearted, and emotionally rich. She especially praises Renate Reinsve’s layered performance and Anders Danielsen Lie’s moving portrayal of Aksel. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2022/02/the-worst-person-in-the-world-movie-review.html) ## The AV Club — A.A. Dowd Rating B+. 3 February 2022. Dowd finds the film an exciting, stylish portrait of the confusion and choices of adulthood. He praises Renate Reinsve’s performance and the tender, well-written romantic scenes, while noting that one drug-trip sequence misses the mark. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-worst-person-in-the-world-movie-review-joachim-trie-1848477485) ## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan Rating 4/5. 25 March 2022. O'Sullivan finds the film occasionally aggravating but ultimately profound and magical. She especially praises Renate Reinsve's expressive performance and the film's playful, earthy humor. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-worst-person-in-the-world-movie-review-renate-reinsve-b990006.html) ## Time Out — Dave Calhoun Rating 4/5. 8 July 2021. The critic presents the film as a lively, energetic portrait of a woman searching for meaning. They single out Renate Reinsve as a revelation. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-worst-person-in-the-world-2021) ## IndieWire — David Ehrlich Rating B. 8 July 2021. Festival review. Ehrlich finds the film vibrant and engaging, though its final act feels less compelling and overly conclusive. He especially praises Renate Reinsve’s nuanced performance and the sequence where time stops as Julie runs through Oslo. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/the-worst-person-in-the-world-review-joachim-trier-1234649577/) ## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 2 February 2022. Lane finds the film beautiful, funny, and moving, though sometimes annoying, with sadness that lingers after the story ends. He especially praises its formal inventiveness in mirroring Julie’s unsettled search for freedom and identity. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/02/14/humor-beauty-and-astounding-sadness-in-the-worst-person-in-the-world) ## Screen Daily — Wendy Ide Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 9 July 2021. Festival review. Ide presents Trier’s film as a bold Palme d’Or contender. The standfirst singles out his willingness to throw caution to the wind and the film’s place as the final part of his Oslo trilogy. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-worst-person-in-the-world-cannes-review/5161382.article) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Jordan Mintzer Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 8 July 2021. Festival review. Mintzer finds the film a compelling, melancholy return to form, though its stylistic flourishes can feel showy. He particularly praises the emotionally powerful reconciliation between Julie and Aksel, carried by Anders Danielsen Lie’s performance. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/the-worst-person-in-the-world-review-cannes-2021-1234979400/) ## Sight and Sound Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 22 March 2022. The critic finds the film a supple, fleeting delight, while questioning its indulgence toward Julie and its narrow perspective. Reinsve’s finely observed, effervescent performance is singled out for praise. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/worst-person-world-captures-one-womans-late-twenties-swirl-sunsets-cigarettes-sunrises) ## The i Paper — Christina Newland Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 25 March 2022. Newland finds the film’s portrait of modern love and alienation ultimately cold and its romanticisation of uncertainty tired. She praises Renate Reinsve’s radiant, physically expressive performance as Julie. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/the-worst-person-in-the-world-review-renate-reinsve-joachim-trier-oscars-2022-1538424) ## Collider — Ross Bonaime Rating A+. 11 February 2022. Bonaime calls the film a near-perfect, moving coming-of-age story and a phenomenal statement on life and love. He especially praises Renate Reinsve’s performance and Trier’s inventive way of depicting Julie’s inner life. [Read the review](https://collider.com/worst-person-in-the-world-joachim-trier-renate-reinsve/) ## The Skinny — Philip Concannon Rating ★★★★★. 21 March 2022. The review finds the film dynamic, funny and ultimately empathetic, with a wistful turn in its second half. It especially praises Anders Danielsen Lie’s moving performance as Aksel. [Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/the-worst-person-in-the-world) ## /Film — Hoai-Tran Bui Rating 8.5/10. 3 February 2022. The critic finds the film a warm, melancholic anti-romantic comedy, though its fragmented portrait can feel emotionally distant. She especially praises Renate Reinsve’s performance and Anders Danielsen Lie’s shattering turn. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/756269/the-worst-person-in-the-world-review-a-wistful-anti-romantic-comedy/) ## HeyUGuys — Jo-Ann Titmarsh Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). Festival review. The critic finds the film warm, intelligent, and consistently engaging, with a strong lead performance. She especially praises Renate Reinsve’s portrayal of Julie and highlights the film’s inventive visual sequences. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-worst-person-in-the-world-review/) ## Paste — Brianna Zigler Rating 8.0/10. 4 February 2022. Festival review. Zigler finds the film invigorating and exceedingly kind, though its late turn feels too tidy for its fragmented storytelling. She especially praises Renate Reinsve’s gentle, sharp performance as Julie. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/the-worst-person-in-the-world-review) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 9 July 2021. Festival review. The critic finds the film charming, appealing, and full of unfolding delights. They especially praise Renate Reinsve’s standout performance and the film’s lively depiction of Oslo. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/worst-person-in-the-world-film-review-joachim-trier/) ## Eye for Film — Anne-Katrin Titze Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 30 January 2022. The critic finds the film beautifully constructed, balancing identity-seeking with the sense that each life is one link in a longer chain. She singles out its lingering melancholy beneath the funny, fast-paced moments of everyday chaos. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-worst-person-in-the-world-2021-film-review-by-anne-katrin-titze) ## Deadline — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 9 July 2021. Festival review. McCarthy finds the film sharp and poignant, though it loses some edge and becomes more conventional in its latter stretch. He praises Renate Reinsve’s vibrant performance and the inventive, intimate scenes that capture life’s fleeting moments. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2021/07/cannes-film-review-joachim-triers-the-worst-person-in-the-world-1234789441/) ## The Playlist Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 9 July 2021. Festival review. The page is blocked, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No praise or complaint can be verified from the available text. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/the-worst-person-in-the-world-joachim-trier-cannes-review-20210709/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-worst-person-in-the-world.md