No matter where you come from or what kind of life you lead, chances are you have drama with your family. Daddy issues, mommy issues, general past trauma — it all comes part and parcel with being a part of a family.Joachim Trier’s latest film,Sentimental Value(Affeksjonsverdi), tackles these elements whenStellan Skarsgård’s Gustav Berg decides to direct a film after a 15-year hiatus and wants his estranged daughter Nora (Renate Reinsve) to star in it.
This return to filmmaking opens up a whole new can of worms for the Berg family as they are forced to face unresolved issues and try to heal from years of trauma and damage caused by Gustav’s abandonment of the family and his divorce from their mother. Trier’s drama, co-written withEskil Vogt, targetsthe thorny side of family relationships and highlights both the best and worst moments a family can havein this slow-burn drama.
At the Heart of ‘Sentimental Value’ Is the Family Drama, but It’s Bogged Down by Outside Commentary
WhereSentimental Valuesoars is when it gets into the nitty-gritty of the Borg family. Gustav, Nora, and his younger daughter Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) have a caustic relationship. Gustav stepped out on his family when the girls were young, leaving Nora to help raise Agnes. Gustav, who oftenput his children in his films, seems to only find interest in them when they’re in front of the camera. As they’ve grown, Nora’s found a career on the stage, which is something Gustav also has no interest in, and the gap between them widens. While Agnes' relationship with her father is far less tense, Nora is quick to turn on her father.Their estrangement runs deeper, and when he comes to her to ask her to star in his film, she doesn’t even bother reading the script before turning him down.
Trier does a fantastic job of showcasing just how complicated and layered the dynamic between these family members is. The best parts ofSentimental Valuecome when Skarsgård and Reinsve face off and confront each other for their past wrongs. However, the 135-minute film does not solely focus on this family drama. Instead, there’s commentary about theater versus film, about films being shown in the cinema versus on streaming, and all of that takes away from the story.
It adds unnecessary fat to an already complex storythat might do better simply by removing it and honing in on the soul of the story. It often feels like when Trier is trying to make a statement about streaming — Gustav’s film is beingproduced by Netflix— it’s a little tongue-in-cheek, but it doesn’t match the general tone of the rest of the film and ends up holding it back. It becomes a weight that drags the film rather than helps uplift it.
Stellan Skarsgård Is the Best Part of ‘Sentimental Value,’ With Renate Reinsve Being a Close Second
Renate Reinsve is no stranger to working with Joachim Trier, having collaborated with him on bothOslo, August 31standThe Worst Person in the World. And while Reinsve delivers an emotional and charged performance as Nora, it is Skarsgård who ultimately deserves flowers for his performance as Gustav. Although Nora is the main character ofSentimental Value, Gustav is not only the catalyst, but he’s also the character all the other characters orbit.
A lesser performance would have weakened the movie, butSkarsgård can be both emotionally fragile and even pitiful at times, while also having moments of cutting cruelty and spitefulness. Gustav is a fully fleshed-out character, nuanced in a way that makes him both difficult to love but also difficult to hate.
His best scenes are both with Reinsve and withElle Fanning, who plays the American actress Rachel Kemp. When Nora turns down Gustav’s request to star in his film, he casts Rachel instead.Their burgeoning friendship offers insight into Gustav’s process, but it also shows us a softer side to him as a creative director. He’s thoughtful and generous with Rachel and is honest with her about her performance when she begins to feel intimidated by the project.
‘Sentimental Value’ Struggles With a Slow Start, but It Takes Off by the End
If there is one flaw thatSentimental Valuehas, it’s with the initial introduction of the film. Very slow to start, the film takes a while before it can fully dive deep into the backstory of the Borg family. When it does start looking into the past of the family, including looking into Gustav’s mother’s past and his relationship with Agnes' son, the story becomes more nuanced and more layered. Butthe film first needs to introduce Nora and set up the story, as this is the part that genuinely drags.
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Too many ofthe best scenes of the filmlie in the final moments, and the slow-burn toward this ending can feel exhausting. Thankfully, Trier’s camera work, especially in the final scene of the film, where we get to watch a film within a film, is fantastic, and it is truly mesmerizing at points.
Trier’s movie is emotional and cuts to the heart of something deeply relatable. We might not all have fathers who are famous directors, we might not all be stage actors with anxiety, but we all have these complicated relationships with our family.Trier’s understanding of complex family relationships and his ability to portray them honestly make this yet another win for himand a solid entry into his filmography.
Sentimental Value
Joachim Trier’s latest film tackles family drama and depression with an aging film director and his stage acting daughter.
Sentimental Value follows a family’s journey to reconcile their past while uncovering hidden treasures that hold emotional significance. The 2025 film explores the connections between personal history and material possessions and stars an ensemble cast who bring depth to the narrative of family and legacy.
