Quietly, deeply and often profoundly moving, Sentimental Value is yet another triumph for Joachim Trier. This film will resonate in your bones even when you can’t feel it affecting you. Brick by brick, Trier effortlessly pieces together a thematically rich story with beautifully flawed characters to populate it.
The film centres on sisters Nora and Agnes (Renate Reinsve, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), and their estranged father Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård) who re-enters their lives after their mother’s - and his ex-wife’s - death. Gustav is an acclaimed filmmaker who’s written a film he wants Nora to star in, but their strained relationship leads to him pursuing rising Hollywood actress Rachel (Elle Fanning) for the role instead. The plot delves into themes surrounding generational trauma, the emotional traits we pass down to our children, the passage of time, and the non-traditional ways we attempt to mend broken relationships. These ideas are explored so naturalistically, as Trier allows ample time for the audience to ruminate with everything.
You won’t find any big show-stopping moment here like the time freeze in “The Worst Person in the World”. That doesn’t mean those moments don’t exist, though. If you aren’t paying close attention, this film seems less singularly focused on what it wants and needs to say. In actuality, Trier achieves an exceptional level of nuance, delivering those powerful punctuating moments in much quieter fashion. It’s the stark contrast in how a few lines of the same dialogue spoken by two different characters come across, or how generations of family history are captured in the walls of a home - These moments speak volumes and hit hard because of how gently they’re delivered. There’s also plenty of authentic humour that keeps the film from sinking too deeply into its own glumness.
Reinsve and Skarsgård are exceptional in capturing the anger, sadness and regret that stems from Nora and Gustav’s distanced father-daughter relationship. Despite being on their own paths at different points in their lives, they both share a similar underlying emotional pain that tethers them to one another. Gustav can feel time slipping through his fingers, as he attempts to rekindle the glory of his prime filmmaking days, while also grasping at a familial bond he broke years ago. Nora still carries the weight of her father’s absence during her formative years, struggling to truly see herself outside of that pain. They both bring such stunning authenticity to their roles and the heartbreaking rift between their characters.
Sentimental Value explores familiar themes, but through its delicate, nuanced and genuine approach to storytelling and characters, it’s able to rise far above any conventions it could’ve been caught in. Joachim Trier has given us another exceptional snapshot of brilliant authenticity, that we seldom see in modern cinema.
4.5/5