The Worst Person in the World

The Worst Person in the World

Year: 2022

Runtime: 121 min

Language: Norwegian

Director: Joachim Trier

Echo Score: 85

Budget: $5M

DramaComedy

This poignant comedy-drama follows Julie as she explores her twenties, grappling with love, career choices, and the search for identity in Oslo. Over four years, the film chronicles her journey through 12 chapters, depicting both joyful and painful experiences. Renate Reinsve delivers a remarkable performance as Julie, a young woman navigating relationships with two very different men and seeking happiness amidst the complexities of modern life.

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The Worst Person in the World (2022) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of The Worst Person in the World (2022), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened, and what it all means.

Julie, a medical student in Oslo, embarks on a transformative journey, shifting her focus from medicine to psychology and eventually to photography. In her late twenties, she begins a complex relationship with Aksel Willman, a comic artist who is 15 years her senior. During a weekend visit to Aksel’s parents’ house, he suggests the idea of starting a family, a notion that leaves Julie feeling apprehensive.

One fateful night, after attending a publishing event for Aksel, Julie inadvertently crashes a wedding reception, where she encounters Eivind, a charismatic barista. Despite both being in relationships, they share a night filled with laughter and intimacy, although they do not engage in sexual activities, only exchanging first names before parting.

Julie’s creative expression flourishes when she writes a provocative short story about feminism and oral sex that captures Aksel’s attention and prompts him to encourage her to share it online. The story becomes a sensation. However, as Julie celebrates her 30th birthday at her divorced mother’s home, she faces disappointment when her father, under the pretense of back pain, fails to show up. In an unexpected twist, her half-sister reveals that he had actually attended one of Julie’s football games on that same day, leaving her feeling further estranged.

While working at a bookstore, Julie bumps into Eivind and his girlfriend, Sunniva. At a dinner with Aksel’s family, Aksel laments about the sanitized film adaptation of his politically incorrect comic series Bobcat, leaving Julie disinterested and lost in thoughts about Eivind. Ultimately, she decides to end her relationship with Aksel.

Meanwhile, Eivind ends things with Sunniva due to her overly restrictive ideals concerning social justice and climate issues. Sparks fly as Julie and Eivind begin to live together. During a small gathering at Eivind’s place, someone discovers a hidden stash of psychedelic mushrooms, which Julie partakes in, resulting in bizarre hallucinations. That evening, she confides in Eivind, expressing her comfort in being herself around him.

Tragically, Aksel’s brother later reveals to Julie that Aksel is suffering from incurable pancreatic cancer. A short time later, Eivind stumbles across a story Julie wrote, and, believing it to be autobiographical, confronts her. In a moment of anger, she denies his claims, patronizing him in the process.

The situation escalates when Julie learns she is pregnant but feels uncertain about telling Eivind. Visiting Aksel in the hospital, he opens up about his fear of death while professing his love for her. Despite Aksel’s assurances that she would make a wonderful mother, Julie remains terrified about the impending changes. Upon returning home, she reveals her pregnancy to Eivind and expresses her need for time to make a decision about the child. Unfortunately, she later receives grave news from Aksel’s brother, implying that Aksel may not make it through the night.

In a heart-wrenching turn of events, while showering, Julie experiences a miscarriage.

Fast forward to some time later, Julie finds herself working as an on-set photographer for a film production. While capturing images of an actress, she later spots the actress outside with Eivind and a baby. Reflecting on her day, she returns home to edit the photographs, as memories of her past and hopes for the future intertwine in her mind.

Last updated: November 16, 2024 at 17:14

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The Worst Person in the World (2022) Plot Questions Answered – Summary FAQ

Explore frequently asked questions about The Worst Person in the World (2022) with spoiler-rich answers covering the full plot summary, major story beats, character motivations, hidden details, and ending meaning. This movie summary FAQ helps explain confusing scenes, plot twists, and narrative decisions in clear, searchable detail.

Q1

Why does Julie break up with Aksel?

A.

Julie breaks up with Aksel because she realizes their relationship is no longer fulfilling. During a dinner with Aksel's family, she becomes increasingly disconnected as he discusses his comic series, and she finds herself lost in thoughts about Eivind. The age gap and his desire to start a family also created pressure she wasn't ready for.

Earlier, during the weekend visit to Aksel's parents' house, he mentioned wanting to start a family, which already planted seeds of doubt in Julie.

Julie breakupAksel relationshipending relationship
Q2

Why does Aksel get cancer in the movie?

A.

Aksel is diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer. This happens unexpectedly in the later part of the film, discovered by his brother who tells Julie. The illness serves as a tragic turning point that forces Julie to confront her feelings for Aksel while she is already building a new life with Eivind.

Aksel cancerpancreatic cancerterminal illness
Q3

Does Julie have a miscarriage in The Worst Person in the World?

A.

Yes, Julie experiences a miscarriage. After learning she is pregnant and struggling with whether to tell Eivind, she suffers a miscarriage while showering. This tragic event occurs right after receiving news that Aksel may not survive the night.

Julie's terror about impending changes and her uncertainty about motherhood hints at the emotional turmoil that follows.

miscarriagepregnancyJulie pregnancy
Q4

Why does Julie choose Eivind over Aksel?

A.

Julie chooses Eivind because being with him allows her to feel comfortable being herself. After the psychedelic mushroom experience, she confides in Eivind about how at ease she feels with him. Their connection at the wedding reception and subsequent meetings revealed a different kind of intimacy than what she had with Aksel.

Their first meeting at the wedding reception showed an immediate spark, with Julie thinking about Eivind during dinners with Aksel's family.

Eivind JulieAksel vs Eivindlove triangle
Q5

What happens to Aksel at the end of the movie?

A.

Aksel dies from his pancreatic cancer. Julie visits him in the hospital where he expresses fear of dying and professes his love for her. His brother later calls with grave news that he may not make it through the night, and Julie experiences her miscarriage around the same time.

The film foreshadows this through Julie's complicated feelings about their past relationship and her guilt over leaving him.

Aksel deathendingcharacter fate
Q6

Why is Julie afraid of having children?

A.

Julie is terrified about the impending changes that motherhood would bring. When Aksel assures her she would make a wonderful mother, she remains paralyzed by fear. Her own complicated relationship with her father, who missed her 30th birthday, contributes to her uncertainty about starting a family.

Aksel's early suggestion of starting a family already triggered anxiety in Julie, showing her fear of commitment.

fear of childrencommitmentmotherhood
Q7

What does Eivind do at the end of the film?

A.

At the end, Eivind is seen with a baby and the actress Julie photographed on set. This suggests he has moved on and started a family with someone else, leaving Julie to reflect on the paths not taken.

Earlier tension between Julie and Eivind about her story created distance in their relationship.

Eivind endingbabynew life
Q8

Why does Julie write the provocative short story?

A.

Julie writes a daring short story about feminism and oral sex as an expression of her creative voice. The story captures Aksel's attention and he encourages her to share it online, where it becomes a sensation. This marks a pivotal moment in Julie's creative development and self-expression.

short storyfeminismcreative breakthrough
Q9

Why is Julie upset about her father not attending her birthday?

A.

Julie is devastated when her father misses her 30th birthday, using back pain as an excuse. However, her half-sister reveals he actually attended one of Julie's football games that same day, making his excuse seem like a lie and deepening her sense of estrangement from him.

This moment highlights Julie's unresolved issues with her father, which contribute to her fear of commitment.

fatherbirthdayfamily estrangement
Q10

Why does Eivind break up with Sunniva?

A.

Eivind ends his relationship with Sunniva because of her overly restrictive ideals concerning social justice and climate issues. Her rigid beliefs become suffocating for him, leading him to end things and open the door for his relationship with Julie.

Sunniva breakupEivind breakupvalues conflict
Q11

What is the significance of the mushroom scene?

A.

During a gathering at Eivind's place, Julie tries psychedelic mushrooms and experiences bizarre hallucinations. This experience deepens her connection with Eivind, as she later tells him she feels most like herself around him. The scene represents a moment of vulnerability and true intimacy in their relationship.

mushroomstriphallucination
Q12

Why does Julie change her career path from medicine to psychology to photography?

A.

Julie undergoes a profound transformation in her academic and professional life. She starts as a medical student, then shifts to psychology, and finally discovers her passion for photography. This evolution reflects her broader search for identity and creative expression throughout her twenties.

career changephotographypsychologymedicine

Ending Explained – What Happens at the End of The Worst Person in the World?

Still wondering what the ending of The Worst Person in the World (2022) really means? Here’s a spoiler-heavy breakdown of the final scene, major twists, and the deeper themes that shape the film’s conclusion.

At the end of The Worst Person in the World, Julie is depicted as having gone through a profound transformation. The surreal moment where she briefly stops time—while she is about to tell Aksel she wants to end their relationship—is a symbolic representation of her indecision and desire to escape the overwhelming complexities of her life. This moment shows her internal conflict: instead of confronting her feelings directly, she chooses to slip away into a fleeting, imagined space where her choices are momentarily paused and altered. When she finally turns the world back on, she’s more resolute, having decided to leave Aksel and embrace a new path with Eivind.

The film concludes with Julie working on a film set, looking out at Eivind with his partner and their child outside her window. She’s now a confident woman who has accepted her life’s uncertainties and her own desires. The ending signifies her growth and self-awareness—she has moved from the impulsiveness and indecisiveness that characterized her earlier journey to a place of acceptance and independence. The symbolic act of the world freezing and resuming reinforces the idea that she now controls her life’s course, understanding that her choices, however uncertain, are her own. Ultimately, the film suggests that personal growth involves embracing ambiguity, taking responsibility for one’s decisions, and recognizing that no one is truly the “worst person in the world”—everyone is just trying to find their way in life, imperfect but authentic.

Last updated: June 25, 2025 at 08:57

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Unlock the Full Story of The Worst Person in the World

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The Worst Person in the World Ending Explained

What really happened at the end of The Worst Person in the World? This detailed ending explained page breaks down final scenes, hidden clues, and alternate interpretations with expert analysis and viewer theories.

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