Beautiful Scenery and Emotional Chaos

‘Sentimental Value’ Film Review

Sentimental value refers to the emotional importance something holds for a person. In this multiple award-winning film, that meaning is tied to an old wooden house- and to everything that has happened, and failed to happen, within its four walls.

Directed by Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier, best known for The Worst Person in the World (2021), Sentimental Value is slow, quiet, and at times painfully restrained. It explores themes such as hate, anger, loneliness, success, love, and forgiveness. It reaches into parts of the viewer that are often ignored yet deeply relatable: from unresolved family conflicts to conversations that never happened because they might have made things worse.

At the center is Nora, a well-known actor played by Renate Reinsve. Nora struggles with her relationship with her father, Gustav Borg, a once-famous film director portrayed by Stellan Skarsgård. His success came at the expense of his relationship with his two daughters, Nora and Agnes, who are now all grown up.

Gustav and his two daughters reunite at their mother’s funeral. He hopes to reconnect and later asks Nora to play the lead role in what he claims will be his final film. Nora refuses. She does not want to speak to him, and the role instead goes to Hollywood actor Rachel Kemp, played by Elle Fanning. Gustav is a complex character, and for a moment, you think he is satisfied with his decision, both in life and in this very project, until he collapses drunk on the sofa, forced to confront the true cost of his ambition.

The film has one of the longest build-ups in modern cinema, which may not suit viewers drawn to more action-driven storytelling. There are no dramatic twists, drug dealers, fast cars, or gunshots, but rather silence. Forcing the viewer to sit with what is left unsaid and, at times, wonder what the point of the film really is…

In that sense, it helps that Trier surrounds us with undeniably beautiful scenery. Of course, some bias might be at play, as I grew up in Norway myself. But compared to his other films, this might be my favorite. From the house he once left his two daughters in, to the soft pink midnight glow over Oslo. The visuals keep us engaged, preventing us from getting too lost in reading every tiny facial expression.

The film features only four key characters, which may sound weird, but ultimately works in Trier’s favor. Each presence feels sharper and more exposed. As we follow them individually and together, we grow deeply familiar with them. Their emotions become your own, and you may find yourself crying more than once through the two hours and thirteen minutes.

In an industry increasingly driven by speed and immediate satisfaction, Sentimental Value feels almost radical. It asks you to sit with discomfort and pay attention. Even though the beginning is slow, the contrast between aesthetic scenery and emotional chaos makes every minute worth it for any movie nerds out there.

Review

496 Words

ELLE Magazine