Immediately, Trier \u2014 who co-wrote the script with his longtime collaborator Eskil Vogt \u2014 draws us deep into a tense drama unfolding like a finely written novel. Intimate and layered, each scene expands like a chapter, revealing character through tone as much as plot. It\u2019s a story about a wounded artistic family, the power of reconciliation, and a house filled with emotional cracks.<\/p>\n
Those cracks widen when Gustav Borg (Stellan Skarsg\u00e5rd), a famous director and failed father, returns to his daughters, Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), after their mother\u2019s death. Nora, who has followed in his artistic footsteps as an actress, still resents him for leaving Norway for Sweden after divorce. Agnes, a historian with a husband and child, is more accepting, a grounding counterpoint to her sister\u2019s restlessness. Gustav has come back to make a film inspired by their fractured relationship, intent on immortalizing the old family home on screen. The reunion reopens old wounds and unspoken rivalries, blurring the line between life and art. Into this charged atmosphere enters the father\u2019s new muse Rachel Kemp, an American actress played by Elle Fanning.<\/p>\n
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\u00a9Courtesy of Neon<\/p>\n
Norwegian director Joachim Trier once again captures the fragile beauty of human connection, returning to his hallmark emotionally intricate storytelling. Beyond the father\u2019s attempt at reconciliation, the film probes deeper generational wounds, with a beautifully soulful soundtrack that plays a pivotal role in underscoring its emotional depth. The score, composed by Hania Rani, is complemented by songs like Terry Callier\u2019s\u00a0Dancing Girl<\/em>\u00a0and Labi Siffre\u2019s\u00a0Cannock Chase<\/em>\u2014Trier, who is also a DJ, carefully weaves these pieces into the narrative to enhance its emotional resonance.<\/p>\n With\u00a0\u201cSentimental Value<\/strong>\u201d<\/em>, Trier extends the emotional landscape he charted in the successful “The Worst Person in the World<\/strong>“<\/em>(2021)\u00a0\u2014 this time from a more somber viewpoint. If the earlier film was about youth\u2019s restless search for identity, this one is about the reckoning that follows.<\/p>\n Both films share Trier\u2019s blend of intimacy, melancholy, and sly humor (here, jokes about Lasse Hallstr\u00f6m and\u00a0\u201cThe Piano Teacher<\/strong>\u201d<\/em> draw big laughs). His ongoing collaboration with Renate Reinsve (the script was written for her) adds a sense of continuity: in\u00a0\u201cThe Worst Person in the World<\/strong>\u201d<\/em>, she was defining herself; here, she reflects on who she has become.<\/p>\n<\/ins>\n Where\u00a0\u201cThe Worst Person in the World<\/strong>\u201d<\/em>\u00a0pulsed with the rhythms of modern Oslo,\u00a0\u201cSentimental Value\u201d<\/em>\u00a0unfolds within more confined spaces. Across his career, Trier has explored how people wrestle with identity and time. His Oslo Trilogy \u2014\u00a0\u201cReprise<\/strong>\u201d<\/em>\u00a0(2006),\u00a0\u201cOslo, August 31st<\/sup><\/strong>\u201d<\/em>\u00a0(my favorite from 2011), and\u00a0\u201cThe Worst Person in the World<\/strong>\u201d<\/em> \u2014 established him as one of the most vital European auteurs of his generation. Between those, he expanded his range with\u00a0\u201cLouder Than Bombs<\/strong>\u201d<\/em>\u00a0(2015), a U.S.-set family drama, and\u00a0\u201cThelma\u201d<\/em>\u00a0(2017), a supernatural coming-of-age story about repression and awakening.<\/p>\n Now,\u00a0\u201cSentimental Value<\/strong>\u201d<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 already generating Oscar buzz \u2014 feels like a natural continuation of all that came before. Returning once more to questions of memory and creation, Trier gives his actors the space to shine. The great Swedish veteran Stellan Skarsg\u00e5rd brings quiet gravitas to the father \u2014 his finest role since Hans Alfredson\u2019s\u00a0\u201cThe Simple-Minded Murderer<\/strong>\u201d <\/em>(\u201cDen enfaldige m\u00f6rdaren\u201d<\/em>, 1982). Renate Reinsve is luminous and layered, while Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas perfectly embodies the quieter, steadier sister. Elle Fanning adds a delicate spark as the American actress drawn into their orbit, and longtime Trier collaborator Anders Danielsen Lie rounds out a vividly lived supporting cast.<\/p>\n In every scene,\u00a0\u201cSentimental Value<\/strong>\u201d<\/em>\u00a0deepens inward, in a distinctly Bergmanesque way. Trier\u2019s debt to Ingmar Bergman is clear – both in his themes and intimate exploration of family dynamics \u2013 in some scenes he directly recalls\u00a0\u201cPersona<\/strong>\u201d <\/em>(1966). Yet Trier has his own original voice, weaving emotional and narrative threads with such precision that by the end, everything lands exactly where it should.<\/p>\n \u00a9Courtesy of Neon<\/p>\n Grade: A-<\/p>\n If you like the review, share your thoughts below!<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"Sentimental](\"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Sentimental-Value2.png\")
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