‘Sentimental Value’ flirts with Hollywood satire, but settles for arthouse sniffles

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Renate Reinsve is quickly becoming a prominent figure in Scandinavian cinema, known for portraying characters with a melancholic charm. The tall, approachable Norwegian actress has a disarming smile that makes her seem both relatable and endearingly naive. She gained international recognition for her Oscar-nominated role in Joachim Trier’s 2021 film, “The Worst Person in the World,” a movie perfectly suited to her style of portraying self-deprecating characters. Now, Trier has created another role for her in “Sentimental Value,” where Reinsve plays a theater actress who avoids emotional connection, continuing in a similar vein of bittersweet storytelling.

“Sentimental Value” gently explores themes of family, movies, and property, all centered around a beautiful house in Oslo that’s been home to the Borg family for four generations. The house is idyllic, with red window frames and a rose garden, but sisters Nora and Agnes aren’t eager to hold onto it. This might be because of painful memories of their parents’ divorce, or because they want to avoid confronting their distant father, Gustav (played wonderfully by Stellan Skarsgård), who grew up in the house, still owns it, and now lives in Sweden.

The film begins with a sweeping shot of Oslo, ending on a cemetery – a deliberate choice by the director. He’s signaling that despite Norway often being seen as a perfect, happy country – one of the best in Scandinavia – it can also be a place of darkness and sadness, much like the stories of Henrik Ibsen.

What’s truly striking is how the film then cuts to a beautiful, dreamlike sequence showing the house’s history over more than a century of the Borg family’s ownership. A visible crack in the house seems to mirror the growing problems and hidden imperfections within the family itself. Throughout these images, we hear Julie, as Nora, reading an essay she wrote in sixth grade about how strongly she felt connected to her childhood home. Now, as an adult who fears getting close to others, she feels distant and isolated, like a separate garage detached from the main house.

Movies

At the peak of his career, a celebrated Swedish actor felt vulnerable and uncertain. He discovered a sense of peace, acceptance, and renewed happiness while working on Joachim Trier’s film, “Sentimental Value.”

Nora and Agnes’s father was an independent filmmaker who moved to another country when they were young. At a showing of his films, he called his film crew his “family,” a comment his daughters would likely have found annoying if they’d been there. Agnes, who acted as a child, feels she deserves recognition for her work, particularly her memorable final scene in her father’s most famous film. The director, Trier, deliberately stretches out the explanation for why she stopped acting years ago, while her sister continues to pursue a career in the industry.

It’s been fifteen years since Gustav last created a piece of art. He’s reached a point where he’s known but losing relevance – a situation director Lars von Trier likely understands well. Gustav is a filmmaker who’s spent his fortune and influence, yet still holds onto a tuxedo, hoping for a return to the Cannes Film Festival. Like the character Nora, Gustav seems younger than he is and is most appealing in small interactions, especially with people he doesn’t know. Trier and his co-writer Eskil Vogt have portrayed him as slightly out of touch with reality, someone who might not notice he’s getting older. When he’s at a cafe with Nora, Gustav playfully suggests to the waitress that they’re on a date – though she clearly doesn’t believe it.

There’s a definite, though complicated, tension between Gustav and Nora. He hasn’t invited her for a father-daughter chat, but because he’s a filmmaker hoping she’ll star in his new project – a script he says he wrote specifically for her. The script’s most dramatic moment references the day his mother, Karin, died by suicide in their home when he was a young boy. Disturbingly, Gustav wants to recreate the scene of her death in the very room where it happened.

Awards

Both ‘It Was Just an Accident’ and ‘Sentimental Value’ are strong candidates to win an Oscar, along with a previous Oscar winner that the Cannes Film Festival jury didn’t recognize.

The scene where he awkwardly proposes his idea is fantastic. Gustav and Nora are clearly uncomfortable around each other, each determined to show they’re independent. However, the director hints that Gustav somehow understands his daughter’s sadness, and that making the film could help them both figure things out. They both prefer to communicate through their work rather than being open about their feelings.

Gustav’s career advice to his daughter feels more like an offense. She’s annoyed when he suggests working at his small, independent film company would be a huge opportunity for her – it’s as if he doesn’t realize she’s the one doing him a favor. After all, she’s a leading actress at Oslo’s National Theatre and has a large social media following that could easily secure funding for the film. Considering the film already lists ten production companies in its credits, even Trier likely understands how valuable she is.

Gustav also unexpectedly meets Rachel, a rising Hollywood star (Elle Fanning), who believes working with him will add sophistication to her career. Rachel, tired of her assistants constantly on their phones, looks at Gustav with a genuine appreciation he doesn’t receive from those closest to him. Their relationship is surprisingly complicated, mirroring a family dynamic. If Rachel joins his film, she’ll essentially become a combination of a mother figure, a daughter, someone he mentors, and a source of funding. While Nora only secures enough money for a small European film, Rachel could turn it into a major production on Netflix – something his current film, “Sentimental Value,” definitely isn’t.

Entertainment & Arts

Making movies costs money, and Lars von Trier seems preoccupied with this harsh reality. He appears to recognize that his audience enjoys emotionally sensitive films. Moments like when Gustav’s producer encourages him to stick to his established style, or when Gustav criticizes Nora’s work as outdated, suggest Trier might be questioning his own artistic direction. These lines hint at a struggle between staying true to his vision and adapting to modern tastes, making you wonder if he feels creatively restricted.

The movie “Sentimental Value” feels conflicted. It tries to be a sharp satire of the entertainment industry, but also wants to be a moving, emotional story. The title itself hints at this struggle between cleverness and heartfelt sentiment.

I don’t have any concrete proof that director Trier was intentionally trying to create a sense of unease, but the film feels most alive when the characters trade sharp, witty remarks and the editing is quick and energetic. There’s one particularly striking shot – the faces of Gustav, Nora, and Agnes blending into each other – that stands out from the rest of the movie, and I’m really glad the cinematographer, Kasper Tuxen, included it.

The movie feels unfocused, jumping between several relationships – Nora and Agnes, Nora and Gustav, and Gustav and Rachel – as if trying to find an emotional connection with the audience. This constant shifting leaves Nora’s own motivations unclear. We’re left wondering if she’s envious of her father’s interest in Rachel, if she truly cares for her secret married lover, or even if she enjoys her work as an actress.

Renate Reinsve’s incredible success is a real win for director Joachim Trier, and her performance includes plenty of emotional scenes that could earn her another Oscar nomination. Stellan Skarsgård is almost guaranteed a nomination as well. However, Dakota Fanning truly shines in the film. She skillfully portrays a character masking her sadness with a cheerful facade, blending Rachel’s vibrant personality with a desire to please others. Fanning subtly reveals Rachel’s insecurity about being Gustav’s second choice, particularly during rehearsals where she strives – but doesn’t quite manage – to fully meet the challenge.

Rachel, a character who could easily fall into predictable Hollywood tropes, is surprisingly likable thanks to Dakota Fanning’s performance. Rachel is determined to be seen as a serious actress, even taking on the challenge of portraying a melancholy Nordic character. When she struggles to connect with the role, she resorts to a deliberately exaggerated Norwegian accent and tries to force tears. Fanning subtly adds a touch of theatricality to the crying, a clever detail that highlights the artificiality often found in this type of film.

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2025-11-07 00:02