Film: “Sentimental Value” directed by Joachim Trier
You’ve never seen family dysfunction portrayed so attractively as in “Sentimental Value,” a film written and directed by Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Frier.
Gustav (Stellan Skarsgard), a once-celebrated Swedish film director, is eager to make his first movie after decades of inactivity. The script, based loosely on his own family’s history, is already written, and he claims he’s got a commitment of financial backing. Now all he needs is the right actress to pull it off, which he believes is none other than his chilly, estranged daughter Nora (Renate Reinsve), an accomplished stage actress.
Unfortunately for Gustav, Nora doesn’t want to do it. She and her more easygoing sister Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) have it in for their difficult father since he basically abandoned them and their mother in order to pursue his directorial career.
Once Nora turns him down, Gustav turns to Rachel Kemp (Elle Fanning), a glam Hollywood starlet, to star in the movie. As she is clearly so wrong for the part, and Nora clearly so right, this creates more angst between father and daughter.
The film, elegant but on the quiet side, does afford you the opportunity to appreciate the exquisite Renate Reinsve, who is without a doubt a younger Scandinavian version of Meryl Streep. She has no easy task here: portray a character who wants a “normal” life with a husband and kids—AND pursue her career—which she is told will get a significant boost should she accede to her father’s wishes.
“Sentimental” premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, competed for the Palme d’Or and garnered the Grand Prix. Family dysfunction for the win.
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