Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

The Worst Person in the World Blu-ray Movie Review

The Worst Person in the World is the third and final film in the Oslo trilogy. The film was in competition at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. The Worst Person in the World won universal acclaim and was one of the biggest hits of the Cannes Film Festival. Actress Renate Reinsve won the Best Actress Award at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.

The most successful film in the Oslo trilogy, The Worst Person in the World was nominated for Best International Feature Film and Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards. Produced by Andrea Berentsen Ottmar and Thomas Robsahm, The Worst Person in the World explores the unique tale in 12 chapters. (The Worst Person in the World was also released on Blu-ray as part of the Criterion Collection in North America.)

Julie (Renate Reinsve) is going through a series of major life changes and her journey is only beginning as she enters her 30s. Julie is looking ahead at her future and looking back at her past. Over the course of four years, Julie encounters some major life changes.

Beginning in her 20s, Julie was in a relationship with comic-artist Aksel (Anders Danielsen Lie). Yet after Julie meets the charming Eivind (Herbert Nordrum) while attending a wedding reception, she become intertwined in a romantic entanglement despite both being in relationships with other people. Unexpected sparks fly between Julie and Eivind and the two quickly find themselves in love.

Julie faces big changes in her life as she must decide what she wants out of her future. Julie even writes a blog post about love in the modern age about it becomes a huge sensation. A whirlwind of emotion leads Julie on an awakening that she never expected as she begins an existential journey – one about her entire purpose and role in life.

Renate Reinsve is electrifying. Reinsve delivers a mesmerizing performance and one that is gripping from start to finish. There is something undeniably magnetic and enchanting about her performance and the manner in which the actress carries the role. The performance deservedly won international acclaim while winning awards. The performance carries the film and is so exceptional it lifts audiences up.

The production design by Roger Rosenberg (Reprise, The Nile Hilton Incident) is excellent and the work done here represents the best collaboration to date between the designer and director Trier. This is a wonderful effort. The natural and realistic designs are essential to the production. The art direction by Mirjam Veske (22. Juli) adds to the filmmaking as well.

The cinematography by Kasper Tuxen (Beginners, The Sea of Trees) is exquisite from first to last frame. The cinematography in The Worst Person in the World is the best out of the three films in the Oslo trilogy. Tuxen has a brilliant eye as a cinematographer. There is so much to appreciate about the cinematographic language in the film. Tuxen delivers a stunning visual style and it is entirely gripping throughout.

The costumes by Ellen Dæhli Ystehede (Hope, Thelma) are pitch-perfect. The costuming feels so genuine and true to these characters. The designer understood the characters and their roles in the story. This made the costuming essential to the foundation of the film.

The score composed by Ola Fløttum (Reprise, Force Majeure) is majestic and the best collaboration between Fløttum and Trier. The scores for all of the films in the Oslo trilogy are excellent but this majestic score takes things up a notch with some of the most sweeping pieces in the trilogy. The compositions are exceptional and are full of beauty.

Edited by Olivier Bugge Coutté (Reprise, Beginners), The Worst Person in the World is perfectly paced. There is not a single moment in the entire film that feels as though it should have been left on the cutting room floor. The entire film is masterful and the editing captures that essence perfectly.

The screenplay by Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt (The Innocents, Blind) is a thing of beauty. The script has brilliant dialogue. The dialogue is so essential to the characters and to the story being told. The film is engaging with a compelling pace. The script is ambitious and feels magical in unexpected ways. The chapter breaks were refreshing as well – giving a novel-like concept to the film and this is something missing from the other films in the Oslo trilogy.

Directed by Joachim Trier (Reprise), The Worst Person in the World is brilliant art and something that should be considered as essential cinema. The filmmaking is perfection from beginning to end. The directing feels so confident and assured. It is clear that Trier feels even more confident in his role directing. The confident is exuded perfectly and it helps The Worst Person in the World achieve outstanding visual moments that are more ambitious than the other films in the Oslo trilogy. A breathtaking work of art and something that must be seen to be believed. A masterpiece.

The Worst Person in the World Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by MUBI, The Worst Person in the World is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. The video is exceptional looking on the release. This is the best-looking film in the Oslo trilogy. The quality cinematography is well presented on the released. The filmic aesthetic is preserved. A great presentation by MUBI.

The Worst Person in the World Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: Norwegian DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Norwegian DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. English subtitles are provided. The lossless audio on the release is outstandingly good. The sound design is perfection and one of the unexpected delights of the film. The film has a far more creative and engaging surround sound design than one might expect for the genre. Surrounds are actively used throughout the film and the sound design is complex and nuanced. The clarity and detail are superb. A masterful lossless audio encode.

The Worst Person in the World Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Q&A with Renate Reinsve (HD, 20:14)

Behind the Scenes (HD, 2:26)

The Oslo Trilogy Trailer (HD, 00:52)

Gaupe Comic Gallery includes 14 click-through slides.

The Worst Person in the World Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Worst Person in the World is a brilliant work of art. The film is a masterpiece and one that has so many rewarding layers to the story. It is like peeling back an onion. The film explores romance while delving in to the purpose of life and the story has an existential quality that is profound. A brilliant film and one that is bursting with creativity and breathtaking visuals. Renate Reinsve delivers a masterful performance in the lead role and she conveys so much with her performance. The Blu-ray release features a superb video and audio presentation. The lossless audio is transcendent and the audio presentation is powerful from beginning to end. Highly recommended.