Second Chances reviews were originally published on NightmarishConjurings.com under first rights. The website is now defunct.

SICK OF MYSELF was written, edited and directed by Kristoffer Borgli. It stars the incredible Kristine Kujath Thorp and Eirik Sæther.

The Plot

Signe and Thomas are horrible people in a horrible relationship. They sabotage each other constantly. Narcissistic and delusional, they bring out the worst in each other. Thomas uses Signe to support his art. And Signe is desperate for attention, lying constantly to her friends and family. 

However, when she has a terrifying encounter at work, she begins to crave sympathy from strangers and family. And when Thomas’s art gets into a big gallery, it sparks a series of events in Signe’s life and the dark descent into her psychosis.

Thoughts:

SICK OF MYSELF is that very dry kind of Norwegian comedy. I once had a Norwegian friend who had a lovely book called, “Scandinavian Humor and Other Myths”, which he would proudly display. This is very much in the same vein. You might not get that  “ha ha” laugh, but there are ripe moments of delicious and biting Scandinavian humor. 

That being said, there is something inherently melancholic and mesmerizing about Signe and her mental health throughout the film. We see from scene one that she’s seeking Thomas’s approval, and at the same point, is bitterly jealous of him. In the first scene, she’s dismissed, forgettable and insignificant.

As her desperate attempts for attention escalate, it veers between comedy, contempt and compassion for her. Borgli does an incredible job of balancing all of these emotions. The film is raw and sloppy, much in the way Contracted was, but with more of a Instagram-obsessed edge. 

Turns did an incredible job with the music in SICK OF MYSELF, making the melodies simple and elegant. Soft in its portrayal of Signe and her plight, adding to the tension as she continues to alienate and manipulate those around her. 

And all this energy could have fallen apart if it weren’t for the absolutely stellar makeup department (Dimitra Drakopoulou, Izzi Galindo, Steinar Kaarstein, Live Becker Knudsen, and Ida Astero Welle). The makeup and prosthetics were leaps and bounds above fantastic. It looked so real and horrific, and the acting of Thorpe sold it. It was painful, cracked and itchy. It made one feel claustrophobic in their own skin, in a way that only body horror can do. 

And while SICK OF MYSELF was more horror-adjacent and not a straight-up horror film, the drama of its core was very much horror. Being insecure and desperate in the same ways that body horror excels in. Finding yourself falling to pieces over your own hubris is exactly what body horror is about. 

The acting from the whole cast was wonderful, showcasing how disingenuous the characters were. How superficial and vain, while still pleading for each other’s affection and praise. Thorpe and Sæther especially shine as a couple who are so similar and yet so different, but only bringing to surface their worst traits in each other. 

The Bottonline:

If you’re looking for a rough story about seeking approval in today’s society, with sly tongue-in-cheek humor, SICK OF MYSELF should be on your watchlist.