Review

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.

© 2025 James Berardinelli

Synopsis

Sisters Nora and Agnes reunite with their estranged father, the charismatic Gustav, a once-renowned director who offers stage actress Nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film. When Nora turns it down, she soon discovers he has given her part to an eager young Hollywood star. Suddenly, the two sisters must navigate their complicated relationship with their father — and deal with an American star dropped right into the middle of their complex family dynamics.

Playing At

• Belcourt Theatre
  2102 Belcourt Avenue, Nashville, TN