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Sick of Myself (2023) movie poster

Plot Summary

Sick of Myself (2023) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2023 · 97 min · Norwegian
Echo score 65
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Directed by
Kristoffer Borgli
Starring
Anders Danielsen Lie, Andrea Bræin Hovig, Anne Kokkinn, Eirik Sæther, Elisabeth Bech Aschehoug, Fanny Vaager

A couple’s already fraught relationship spirals into intense competition when one achieves unexpected artistic success. Driven by envy and a desperate need for validation, they engage in a relentless game of one-upmanship, each attempting to sabotage and overshadow the other. Their escalating rivalry tests the limits of their bond and exposes a toxic cycle of seeking attention and recognition.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Sick of Myself
  6. 6 Every angle
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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Sick of Myself: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Sick of Myself (2023) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Signe and Thomas find themselves in a turbulent relationship while living in Oslo, where Signe juggles her job as a barista and Thomas pursues his passion for creating sculptures from stolen furniture. Amidst the backdrop of their everyday life, Signe grapples with jealousy, feeling overshadowed by the growing attention Thomas receives. In her quest to regain the spotlight, she devises increasingly drastic measures, including a bizarre plan involving a dog after witnessing a similar situation at her job.

When Thomas secures a prestigious exhibition for his work, Signe disrupts his celebratory speech by faking an intense allergic reaction, shamelessly seeking to draw the focus back to herself.

In her search for relief and attention, Signe stumbles upon a troubling news piece regarding Lidexol, a Russian anti-anxiety medication that had been recalled due to severe side effects. Undeterred, she purchases a substantial supply from her friend Stian, her drug dealer, and quickly becomes reliant on it. As the medication begins to take a toll, she visits a doctor at Thomas' urging but rebuffs his attempts at a thorough examination. On the same day, while Thomas is engaged in a pivotal interview with a magazine, Signe feels neglected and subsequently overdoses on Lidexol, landing herself in the hospital, much to Thomas’ dismay.

Signe's mother encourages her to join a holistic support group tailored for individuals battling serious illnesses. Here, she faces skepticism from fellow members who question her authenticity. Nonetheless, Signe secures an interview with a major news outlet purportedly aimed at raising awareness about her condition. However, her story is quickly overshadowed by a tragic mass shooting in the news cycle. Surprisingly, the next day, her piece is featured on the front page of a leading national newspaper, which catapults her into the spotlight—culminating in a modelling contract fueled by her fabricated narrative.

As her physical health declines further due to continuous use of Lidexol, she is cast in a commercial for a fashion brand named Regardless, filmed in a museum alongside a model coping with symbrachydactyly. The day of the shoot spirals out of control when Thomas is arrested for theft, recognized by an employee from a furniture store after his notorious magazine mention as "Thomas the Thief." In a shocking twist during the filming, Signe manages to lock her fellow model in the bathroom, only to collapse on set. Confiding in her journalist friend Marte, Signe reveals that her suffering was fabricated all along, while Thomas faces the consequences of his actions behind bars. Desperate for comfort, Signe finds her way back to the support group, continuing her charade by inventing new symptoms to share.

Last updated: November 15, 2024 at 20:44

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Plot questions answered

Sick of Myself Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Sick of Myself (2023): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does Signe fake an allergic reaction at Thomas's exhibition?

Signe fakes an intense allergic reaction during Thomas's celebratory speech because she feels completely overshadowed by his success. Thomas has just secured a prestigious exhibition for his sculptures, and all the attention is on him. Overwhelmed by jealousy and desperate to reclaim the spotlight, Signe stages the allergic reaction to redirect the focus back onto herself, even though it disrupts her boyfriend's major career moment.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, the film establishes that Signe is already devising "increasingly drastic measures" to draw attention back to herself, showing her growing desperation.

  • signe
  • thomas
  • exhibition
  • allergic reaction
  • jealousy
  • attention
Q2

What is Lidexol and why does Signe take it?

Lidexol is a Russian anti-anxiety medication that was recalled due to severe side effects. Signe discovers it through a troubling news piece and purchases a substantial supply from her friend Stian, who serves as her drug dealer. She begins using it partly for relief from her emotional turmoil, but also because it gives her a new avenue to seek attention, she becomes visibly ill, which attracts the care and concern she craves from Thomas and others around her.

  • lidexol
  • medication
  • recall
  • anti-anxiety
  • russian
  • drug
Q3

Why does Signe join a support group for people with serious illnesses?

Signe's mother encourages her to join the holistic support group after her Lidexol overdose lands her in the hospital. However, Signe doesn't join out of genuine need, she's still chasing attention and validation. She fabricates having a serious condition to fit in with group members who are actually battling life-threatening illnesses, using their vulnerability as a platform for her own表演.

  • support group
  • illness
  • signe
  • mother
  • fabrication
Q4

How does Signe's story end up on the front page despite the mass shooting?

Despite Signe's interview being immediately overshadowed by a tragic mass shooting in the news cycle, her story somehow appears on the front page of a leading national newspaper the next day. This unexpected exposure catapults her into the spotlight and leads to a modelling contract. The exact reason for this timing isn't explained in detail, but it suggests the newspaper may have needed filler content or found her fabricated narrative compelling enough to run despite the bigger news story.

  • front page
  • mass shooting
  • newspaper
  • media
  • modelling contract
Q5

Why does Signe collapse during the commercial shoot?

Signe collapses on the set of the Regardless fashion commercial due to her continued Lidexol use, which has severely deteriorated her physical health. Earlier in the film, she's shown becoming increasingly dependent on the medication, and her body ultimately cannot handle the toll. Additionally, the chaos of Thomas being arrested for theft and her own escalating deception contribute to her mental and physical breakdown.

  • collapse
  • commercial
  • shoot
  • regardless
  • health
  • overdose
Q6

Why does Signe lock the other model in the bathroom during the commercial?

During the Regardless commercial shoot filmed in a museum, Signe locks her fellow model, who is coping with symbrachydactyly (a congenital limb condition), in the bathroom. This act represents another escalation in Signe's destructive behavior. She's competing for attention even in this professional setting, and the act seems driven by her desperate need to be the center of attention, coupled with her declining mental state from Lidexol use.

  • model
  • bathroom
  • commercial
  • regardless
  • symbrachydactyly
Q7

What happens to Thomas at the end of the movie?

Thomas is arrested for theft after being recognized by an employee from a furniture store. His previous crimes, creating sculptures from stolen furniture, had been mentioned in a magazine article that dubbed him "Thomas the Thief." When he's spotted during the commercial shoot, the employee identifies him, leading to his arrest. Thomas then faces consequences behind bars, and his relationship with Signe is left shattered.

  • thomas
  • arrested
  • theft
  • furniture
  • jail
Q8

Why does Signe keep lying even after she confesses to Marte?

After Signe confides in her journalist friend Marte that her suffering was entirely fabricated, she still returns to the support group and continues inventing new symptoms. This illustrates the depth of her psychological compulsion, lying has become her primary mechanism for seeking attention and validation. She cannot stop because the need for recognition has consumed her identity. The film ends with her trapped in this cycle, showing no signs of redemption.

  • lying
  • support group
  • marte
  • confession
  • fabrication
Q9

Why is Signe so jealous of Thomas's success?

Signe's jealousy stems from feeling invisible and overshadowed in her own relationship. While she works as a barista, Thomas is pursuing his passion and achieving recognition for his art. As Thomas gains attention and acclaim, Signe's sense of self-worth diminishes. Her jealousy isn't just about Thomas, it's about her own unmet need for validation and significance, which drives her increasingly desperate and destructive actions throughout the film.

  • jealousy
  • thomas
  • success
  • attention
  • validation
Q10

Why does Signe overdose on Lidexol?

Signe overdoses on Lidexol on the same day Thomas is engaged in a pivotal magazine interview, a moment centered entirely on him. Feeling neglected and invisible, Signe succumbs to her emotional pain and takes too much of the medication. The overdose lands her in the hospital and deeply distresses Thomas. This act demonstrates how completely her self-worth is tied to receiving attention from others.

  • overdose
  • lidexol
  • hospital
  • thomas
  • interview
  • neglect

Movie threads

More Movies Like Sick of Myself, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Sick of Myself tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about toxic ego meltdowns like Sick of Myself

Characters unravel as their desperate need for validation consumes them. If you liked the intense, darkly comedic spiral of narcissism in Sick of Myself, explore other movies about characters whose desperate need for validation leads to self-destructive behavior. These similar drama and comedy films feature toxic relationships, psychological manipulation, and a satirical look at attention-seeking.

  • unsettling
  • cringeworthy
  • obsessive
  • anxious
  • satirical
  • darkly humorous
  • Tone: dark, cynical, satirical
  • Pacing: fast, escalating
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically follows a linear but rapid descent, where a character's initial minor deception or act of jealousy escalates into a full-blown fabricated reality. Their actions become more extreme and hazardous as they compete for the spotlight, often within a toxic relationship dynamic, leading to an inevitable collapse with little to no redemption.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared focus on the psychology of narcissism and the destructive lengths people will go to for recognition. They create a specific, unsettling mood through fast pacing, high emotional intensity, and a darkly satirical tone that makes the viewer both anxious and morbidly curious.

Darkly comedic psychological thrillers like Sick of Myself

Where the suspense comes from psychological manipulation, not physical danger. For viewers who enjoyed the cringeworthy suspense and psychological tension of Sick of Myself, this list features similar movies that blend dark comedy with intense drama. Discover other fast-paced stories with heavy emotional weight, disturbing themes, and a suspenseful vibe driven by toxic relationships.

  • suspenseful
  • psychological
  • darkly humorous
  • anxious
  • unsettling
  • cynical
  • Tone: dark, tense, satirical
  • Pacing: fast, suspenseful
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot hinges on a psychological game, often between two people in a close but fraught relationship. The conflict escalates through a series of manipulative acts and desperate schemes, creating a palpable sense of unease. The narrative uses satire to highlight the absurdity of the characters' actions while maintaining a high-stakes, suspenseful atmosphere.

Why they belong together: These films share a unique and coherent mix of high intensity, fast pacing, a dark tone, and a significant dose of cynical humor. They deliver a specific kind of thrill that is more about psychological unease and the anticipation of social or emotional collapse than traditional action or horror.

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Every angle

Sick of Myself (2023) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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