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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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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Character-driven stories about finding yourself, with both joy and sorrow.If you enjoyed the honest and reflective journey in The Worst Person in the World, you'll find similar stories here. This selection features movies that delve into the search for identity, the weight of life choices, and the bittersweet nature of growing up, perfect for fans of character-driven drama and comedy.
These narratives typically follow a protagonist navigating pivotal life decisions across love, work, and family. The structure is often episodic, covering a span of years to show growth and change. The central conflict is internal, revolving around existential questions and the desire for authenticity, leading to an ending that is realistic rather than purely happy.
They are grouped by their shared focus on the emotional complexity of young adulthood, a specific bittersweet tone that balances humor with heartache, and a relatable exploration of universal themes like commitment, creativity, and mortality.
Stories told in chapters, capturing significant moments across years.Fans of The Worst Person in the World's chapter-based storytelling will appreciate these movies. This thread collects films that use an episodic structure to explore a character's journey through love, loss, and personal growth, offering a similarly nuanced and reflective viewing experience.
The story unfolds not as a single, linear plot but through distinct segments, each highlighting a crucial event or period. This structure emphasizes theme and character development over conventional plot momentum, often resulting in a complex, reflective narrative that feels more like a slice of life than a traditional story arc.
They share a distinctive narrative structure that prioritizes intimate character study over plot, a variable pacing that alternates between impactful events and quiet reflection, and a focus on the accumulation of life experiences.
Don't stop at just watching - explore The Worst Person in the World in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending - every page helps you truly understand what The Worst Person in the World is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Track the full timeline of The Worst Person in the World with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape The Worst Person in the World. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning - ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
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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The Worst Person in the World (2022) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline
The Worst Person in the World (2022) Movie Characters, Themes & Settings
The Worst Person in the World (2022) Ending Explained & Theories
The Worst Person in the World (2022) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow
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