Sentimental Value | Reelviews Movie Reviews

Sentimental Value offers a powerful story about
fathers and daughters, roads not taken, the thirst for redemption, and the path
toward reconciliation. There is also a strong undercurrent about the sacrifices
made by filmmakers, both personal and professional, in the pursuit of seeing
their visions realized. The film, from Danish-Norwegian director Joachim Trier
(best known for his so-called Oslo Trilogy), features a group of impeccible
performances and tells its story in a way that is deeply moving without tipping
into the maudlin or cloyingly melodramatic. The title may include the word Sentimental,
but the film itself resists sentimentality.

The opening sequence plunges the viewer into a moment of
chaos as the lead actress in a play, Nora Borg (Renate Reinsve), suffers an
acute bout of stage fright just as the curtain is about to rise. Trier uses
camera placement and movement, along with a thread of warped comedy, to
underline the panic unfolding backstage as it seems everything might collapse.
Nora manages to steady herself at the last possible moment and delivers a
commanding performance. Once the play ends, however, it becomes clear that her
personal life is far less composed.

Her father, Gustav Borg (Stellan Skarsgård), is a celebrated
film director who left his family years earlier, when Nora and her younger
sister, Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), were still children. The girls were
raised by their mother while Gustav built his reputation abroad. After their
mother’s death, Gustav returns to Norway with plans to reclaim the family home
as the primary setting for his next film, an autobiographical project centered
on his own mother. His relationship with Agnes is uneasy but functional, and he
forges a connection with her son, Erik (Øyvind Hesjedal Løven). His
interactions with Nora, by contrast, remain brittle. When Gustav asks her to
star in his new film—a role he insists was written for her—she refuses. Left
with few options, he turns instead to a well-known American actress, Rachel
Kemp (Elle Fanning).

Nora is the film’s emotional anchor, although Gustav, Agnes,
and Rachel each follow their own arcs. While the narrative unfolds largely in
the present, strands extend back to Nazi-occupied Europe, where the story of
Gustav’s mother takes shape. Trier’s measured pacing allows each character to
develop without forcing conclusions or assigning easy blame. Everyone carries
their own history and their own failings. Nora’s resentment is fully earned,
and Gustav’s regrets feel consistent with who he is rather than imposed for
narrative convenience. Both characters are capable of harm and healing in equal
measure. Although the arcs given to Agnes and Rachel are less expansive, they
are essential to the film’s balance, particularly as Agnes uncovers unsettling
details while exploring her mother’s past.

Given the Scandinavian setting, comparisons to Ingmar
Bergman are inevitable, but Trier works with a lighter hand and avoids dwelling
on despair for its own sake. His perspective is more flexible and open to
moments of humor. In that respect, the film brought to mind another European
master, Krzysztof Kieslowski. Where Bergman often kept his characters at an
emotional distance, Kieslowski approached his with sympathy, imperfections
included. Trier follows a similar path.

Among the performances, Reinsve makes a strong impact,
marking her third collaboration with Trier. Her scenes opposite Skarsgård are
the film’s core, and this stands as some of his most compelling work in years,
perhaps going as far back as Insomnia. Fanning also makes effective use
of her supporting role, playing an actress accustomed to privilege who seizes
the opportunity to prove herself in unfamiliar territory.

Sentimental Value is serious without being
oppressive. It succeeds as a character study because it treats its characters
as people rather than symbols. Trier presents the story through multiple
angles, allowing meaning to emerge from contrast rather than manipulation. At a
time when dramas often struggle to find space in the marketplace, the film
serves as a reminder that, when handled with restraint and trust in the
audience, the genre can still resonate as strongly as it ever did.

Sentimental Value (Norway/Denmark, 2025)