Sentimental Value is a story about memory, regret, and the complicated ties that bind families long after the damage. Nora (Renate Reinsve) is a successful stage actress. She carryies the unresolved weight of her relationship with her distant father, Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård), a once-celebrated filmmaker whose personal life left lasting scars. Gustav re-enters Nora’s life after years of estrangement. He proposes that she star in his long-gestating comeback film, and old wounds reopen. Adding further tension is Nora’s sister Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas). Her quieter life choices place her between past grievances and present realities. As filmmaking becomes both a bridge and a battleground, the family is forced to confront artistic ambition, emotional absence, and what it truly means to seek forgiveness when time has already done its worst.
What works in Sentimental Value are the absolutely incredible performances, the masterful direction and writing from Joachim Trier, and the rich visual language crafted by cinematographer Kasper Tuxen. Reinsve once again proves why she is one of the most compelling actors working today. Her Nora is sharp, wounded, guarded, and achingly vulnerable. Every glance feels loaded. Skarsgård is just as extraordinary as Gustav. He has delicate balance of arrogance, remorse, charm, and quiet despair. He is not a villain or a hero but rather painfully human. Their scenes together crackle with unresolved history. The air grows thick and the silence speaks volumes. Trier’s script is precise and deeply empathetic. These are messy people making imperfect choices, and the film never judges them for it. It simply observes. The camerawork is equally expressive. Soft natural light, restrained movement, and intimate framing all serve the emotional truth of the story. Nothing feels artificial.
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People who are sensitive to heavy subject matter may not enjoy Sentimental Value as much as others. The film confronts themes of suicide, addiction, emotional abandonment, and generational trauma with unflinching honesty. These topics are not treated sensationally, but they are also not softened. In addition, there is a persistent sense of awkward discomfort that runs through many of the film’s most important scenes. Conversations stall and feelings surface at inopportune moments. For some viewers, that tension may be difficult to sit with. Finally, while it is not a barrier in any real sense, audiences should also note that roughly half of the film is spoken in Norwegian.
Sentimental Value is one of the absolute best films of the year. It is tender, painful, funny in small, surprising ways, and deeply cathartic. Trier continues to prove he is one of the most emotionally perceptive filmmakers working today, and this may well be his finest work yet. For cinephiles especially, this is essential viewing. Highly recommended.
Recommended if you also enjoyed: The Worst Person in the World, Terms of Endearment, Fried Green Tomatoes
Sentimental Value is now available to see in theaters.
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