'The Julia Set' Review: A Sweet But Cliché Taste of Academia [TIFF 2026]
chase infiniti stars as underdog math genius julia as she navigates academia and toxic relationships.
After stunning viewers with her spirited performance in last year’s One Battle After Another, audiences have been waiting with bated breath for Chase Infiniti’s next big screen appearance. Despite the high hopes many may have for Infiniti’s newest role as Julia in ‘The Julia Set’, she is unfortunately constrained by clichés and stereotypes of grossly rich people and the ivory towers of academia. Although Infiniti puts forth a solid performance, there is only so much that can be done with a script that doesn’t push the limits, and instead settles into a story viewers have likely seen time and time again.
Julia is a college freshman, excelling in her math class. Instead of going out with her fun and friendly roommate (played earnestly by Chlöe Bailey), she can’t help but spend her time studying. All her hard work begins to pay off, and soon her high level of skill is noticed by her math teaching assistant, Pascal (played by Christopher Briney). She is invited by Pascal to attend study sessions run by one of the most intimidating professors in the department (played by Nina Hoss). These study sessions are wholly dedicated to preparing for the Putnam competition: A prestigious competition with a limited number of attempts. This competition initially seems do-able: It only consists of twelve questions, each worth ten marks. Test takers can score up to 120 points, but most score a grand total of 0. Although Julia is determined to successfully train for this competition, she simultaneously begins to navigate a growing romance between her and math TA Pascal. Very soon, she finds herself past her depth, struggling through interactions with Pascal’s intelligent and wealthy mathematician parents (Jason Isaacs and Gillian Anderson) and dealing with Pascal’s sudden, shocking mood swings and manipulations. A first relationship can often be one of co-dependence, which can easily steer into toxic territory–let alone if both partners are vying for a team spot to impress a tough professor and take on a highly respected and renowned competition.
Although the narrative offers an inspiring tale for Julia as she pursues her own interests and realizes her own capability, it quickly veers into cliché territory, following the predictable patterns of being doubted by the people around her until she, of course, soars above them in skill and talent. Julia’s relationship with Pascal, however, reaches levels of ridiculousness. It’s one thing to have a selfish and spoiled boyfriend, but his character becomes borderline cartoonish, with absolutely no redeeming qualities by the third act. He becomes almost evil, his behaviours laughable, making it hard for the viewer to take their relationship and its implications seriously. Pascal’s parents also take on the stereotypical roles of rich jerk and stifled wife–though Isaacs is particularly skilled at playing a bit of a jerk, making the scenes at Pascal’s family home particularly entertaining. Although the film is enjoyable, it misses the mark through shoddy characterization, limiting the viewer from getting completely lost in the narrative.
Of course, viewers can’t help but root for Julia. Infiniti is so effortlessly likeable, and that comes through in her role as Julia. Although this film may not go on to become one of the best in her budding filmography, it is a sweet story that is largely accessible. This is a film viewers could enjoy with their families, cheering for the underdog. After all, being a woman in STEM can be challenging, and being racialized often introduces even more barriers to accessing post-secondary education, let alone thriving in it. Julia remains determined in the face of her superiors blatantly not believing in her, and she stays true to herself and her values as she navigates complex and novel situations. Whereas her relationship with Pascal is frustrating to watch, her friendship with her roommate is warm and heartfelt. In fact, this is one of the stronger parts of the story, ringing true to many genuine experiences. It can be hard to balance new romantic relationships with friendships, and having supportive friends through these growing pains can be a wonderful thing. The film shows some hints of Julia trying to find herself and establish an identity outside of a romantic relationship, which offers some additional depth, but remains quite shallow in these attempts.
Overall, despite pushing a sweet message and starring the unquestionably talented Chase Infiniti, the film falls flat, overladen with common academic clichés and cartoonish characterizations. Those looking for a classic underdog story may find enjoyment in watching Julia take on the daunting Putnam competition and navigating the college experience. However, viewers may be disappointed in the lack of depth or novelty in this narrative.
The Julia Set premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival this year, but doesn’t yet have a distributor or confirmed release date. That being said, with a rising star like Chase Infiniti, and Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs in the mix, it’s sure to come to theatres soon.