New Comedy ‘Sick of Myself’ Features the Actual Worst Person in the World
The couple at the center of Sick of Myself, a blistering Norwegian comedy that opens in select theaters April 12, likes to play a game.
Say they're at a fancy dinner. Thomas (Eirik Sæther) is there to celebrate his hip new art exhibit, and Signe (Kristine Kujath Thorp) is burdened with making small talk among the guests who have gathered to honor his show. The night is all about Thomas, so Signe fakes a nut allergy and pretends to pass out in the middle of her boyfriend’s toast. Everyone’s attention diverts back to her. Mission complete.
This game has a few, shall we say, problems. Signe and Thomas sometimes don't even realize they’re playing it, and a relationship built on constant one-upmanship can’t be reasonable. Moreover, if someone is so determined to monopolize the limelight wherever they go, how far will that gluttony take them? In Sick of Myself, it takes Thomas and especially Signe to unholy extremes that look passingly familiar to anyone acquainted with the contours of modern life. The ultimate goal is to become famous, or infamous, or the star of every room—which provides ample opportunities to self-victimize if it means scoring social points.