TIFF 2026 Review: The Julia Set

Chase Infiniti Shines in a Story About Ambition, Love and Toxic Masculinity

Going into The Julia Set, one of the biggest reasons I wanted to watch this film was Christopher Briney. After seeing him play Conrad in The Summer I Turned Pretty, I was really curious to see him take on a different role, especially on the big screen.But what I didn’t expect was how much this film would explore toxic masculinity, insecurity, and what happens when a woman’s intelligence becomes a threat to the person who’s supposed to support her.

Directed by Niki Byrne, The Julia Set follows Julia (Chase Infiniti), a gifted mathematics student who finds herself navigating a competitive, male-dominated academic environment while developing a relationship with her teaching assistant, Pascal (Christopher Briney).

At first, Pascal seems genuinely supportive of Julia and her abilities. But as their relationship develops, you begin to see another side of him, particularly when he realizes just how intelligent she really is. And honestly, there were moments when I was so frustrated watching their relationship unfold. You can clearly see how talented Julia is, and as a viewer, you just want her to recognize that and go after everything she deserves. Instead, there are moments when it feels like she’s holding herself back just to make Pascal feel better about himself. What makes their relationship interesting, though, is that Pascal isn’t always terrible to her. There are moments when he’s incredibly sweet, which makes his behaviour even more confusing. And I think that’s what makes the dynamic feel relatable, because sometimes when you really like someone, it’s easy to overlook the red flags.

The film also explores Pascal’s relationship with his father, played by Jason Isaacs. You begin to understand where some of Pascal’s insecurities come from, especially seeing how much pressure his father puts on him. But at the same time, you realize that Pascal is slowly becoming exactly like him. And that was honestly sad to watch. Instead of celebrating Julia’s intelligence, he begins to feel threatened by it.

I thought Chase Infiniti did a wonderful job portraying Julia. She brings a lot of vulnerability to the character, and even when I didn’t agree with her decisions, I still found myself rooting for her. As for Christopher Briney, while I enjoyed seeing him in a different role, I personally didn’t feel like I saw a completely new range from him. Maybe it’s because Conrad was such an iconic character, but there were moments when I still saw similarities in his performance.

That being said, I really enjoyed the pacing of the film. The story kept me engaged, and I appreciated how it explored ambition, relationships, and the challenges women can face in male-dominated spaces.

Overall, The Julia Set was a really enjoyable watch. It has strong performances, an engaging storyline, and a message that goes beyond academics or relationships. For me, it’s a reminder that you should never have to make yourself smaller just to protect someone else’s ego. And sometimes, the person who should be cheering you on the loudest is the one who feels most threatened by your success.

Sony Pictures Classic will release The Julia Set in 2027