Sentimental Value

Okay i have SO MUCH TO SAY! I really loved it. The Worst Person in the World is up there with one of my favorite movies, so I was a little nervous going in; I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it as much. But I liked it just as much. Just for entirely different reasons. For a director who always uses the same actors, explores the same themes, and has such a distinct style…he still keeps it so fresh and vibrant!  THE CHARACTERS. The characters are out of this world but that’s to be expected. It made me call my dad just to say I love him. I feel like I can go on forever about all the different characters but I’ll highlight the house, Dakota Fanning and Renate Reinsve. They tell you this right in the beginning but I like how the house is a main character. You really feel it too. The house is watching these characters at all moments even when they aren’t inside the house. The feeling you get changes when the house is full versus when it’s left empty. When people are laughing or fighting in it. When it’s decor changes. When someone who doesn’t quite belong is trying to fit in there. I’m impressed with how he’s able to make me think about how the house would feel about these situations as if it was a real person. Yay for personification! I also really liked how even when they were making fun of Dakota Fanning’s character (mostly to make fun of how filmmaking and acting has changed) they treated her with such kindness and respect. And I really liked that she was smart in the end. I love the representation for kinda ditzy girls who are also really smart!! And I’m just obsessed with Renate Reinsve I think she’s perfect and I want to see more and more of her. This movie has a weird meta aspect to it about acting and film-making in general, and it was an absolute joy watching and reveling in the choices she was making. She was the star but everyone was incredible.  I liked how this movie was able to feel understated and a bit aloof, while still having so much heart and joy. He really understands the secret warmth that hides in melancholia. It’s so tense! So mournful! So anxiety inducing! So moving and sweet! But you always feel like you’re at a distance from all these characters because Renate refuses to let you in fully. I think some people might criticize the movie for that reason but I think it worked perfectly. Sometimes it’s nice to be thrown into a family drama and not be entirely sure what happened. That’s okay, you just need to be there for what’s happening now. And isn’t that how it works in real life anyways? And it was just so beautiful to watch. The emphasis on all the shadows was just such a treat.  There are times when I thought ohh this is predictable. ohhh this is repetitive. ooooh they are really spelling it out for you here but I don’t care. Sometimes when something is so well done you can end up liking what you normally criticize! I’ll probably rewatch very soon, love love loved it (Also ending with Cannock Chase hit just as hard as The Worst Person in the World ending with Waters of March. I need his playlist STAT.)