๐ Official Synopsis
Nora and Agnes are two sisters whose lives have been profoundly shaped by the painful, long-term estrangement from their eccentric father, Gustav. A once-celebrated artistic figure who vanished from their upbringing, Gustav suddenly re-enters their adult lives with an unexpected, highly ambitious proposal: he has written a deeply personal, career-defining film script and wants Nora, a talented but struggling stage actress, to step into the starring role. As the fractured family attempts to collaborate on the project, the sudden arrival of a glamorous Hollywood star upends the production, forcing Nora to confront the limits of creative validation and dismantle decades of repressed family trauma.
๐ฅ Expanded Cast Profile
๐ฌ Expanded Crew Profile
๐ฐ Industrial & Production Brief
Released domestically by NEON and produced out of Norway by Mer Film and Eye Eye Pictures, Sentimental Value stands as a historic triumph, recently securing the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film . Director Joachim Trier chose to preserve the tactile visual identity of his previous masterpiece, The Worst Person in the World, by tracking the story entirely on location in Oslo, Norway using 35mm Kodak Vision3 film stocks paired with an ARRICAM LT camera body . Cinematographer Kasper Tuxen prioritized a highly empathetic framing logic—leveraging natural Nordic winter lighting, selective Cooke 5/i focal treatments, and subtle handheld cameras to map decades of complex, unspoken familial trauma directly through the landscape of the family's childhood home .
- Trier & Reinsve: This marks the second collaboration between Joachim Trier and Renate Reinsve following their success with The Worst Person in the World.
- Norwegian Roots: Though a co-production, the film maintains Trier's signature Oslo-centric storytelling style.
- Cannes Pedigree: Trier's films are staples at major festivals, emphasizing the "European character study" style you highlighted.
- Masterful lead performance by Renate Reinsve
- Grounded, honest look at familial trauma
- Avoids cynical "Hollywood" tropes
- Slow, deliberate pacing may not suit everyone
- Rarely found in traditional studio theaters
Renate Reinsve: The Worst Person in the World, Presumed Innocent
Stellan Skarsgard: Dune, Chernobyl, Good Will Hunting
Joachim Trier: Oslo, August 31st, Louder Than Bombs
The Official Trailer
Full Review
A profoundly moving drama peppered with comedy and set against the backdrop of the performing arts, Sentimental Value explores the dynamics of a family moving through life's trials and tribulations through the prism of artistic expression. It is a fascinating, grounded look at how past experiences and traumas inform art.
Free of the cynical tropes and parodies of the actor's life, the film honestly attempts to get at the heart of the need for performance and the salvation it provides storytellers. The cast is anchored by an award-winning performance by Renate Reinsve as Nora, who experiences a whirlwind of emotions as she is faced with confronting her estranged father, Gustav, played by an excellent Stellan Skarsgard. Helping both daughter and father navigate their attempts at reconciliation is Nora's younger sister Agnes, movingly played by Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas. Rounding out the cast is Elle Fanning, who has the unenviable task of playing a fictional version of Nora in a film being directed by Gustav.
Writer and director Joachim Trier does an excellent job of showing the psychological and emotional complexities of performing artists without falling into stereotypes. Trier forgoes the need to create drama for the sake of traditional storytelling, allowing the story to breathe, unfold, and eventually reveal itself at its own pace.
Of course, the movie isn't just a film about performers; many viewers will relate to the complexities and real-life messiness of familial relationships, which is truly at the core of the story. The real miracle is that there are still movies like this being made. It's no coincidence that this is not a Hollywood film, these types of grounded drama/comedy character studies simply aren't part of the studio landscape anymore, once a staple of artists like James L. Brooks and Woody Allen.
Hopefully, the success of Sentimental Value can spur a new age of these types of films. This movie fills a void that was sorely lacking in theatrical film this year. Don't be surprised if the film sweeps the acting categories at the Oscars; it definitely deserves it.
THE VERDICT
★★★★½
Hopefully, the success of Sentimental Value can spur a new age of these types of films. It definitely deserves to sweep the acting categories at the Oscars, don't be surprised if it does.
