With stellar performances from Stellan Skarsgard and Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value examines how art and life can imitate each other, in both tragic and poetic ways.

When I saw director Joachim Trier’s previous film The Worst Person in the World (2021), I wasn’t moved. I don’t know why, but there was something about the film that didn’t scratch the right itch. But when I watched Sentimental Value (2025) with Stellan Skarsgard, I felt like I was given one of the worlds best backscratchers.

The story concerns an aging film director, Gustav Korg, who tries to convince his estranged eldest daughter Nora to play the lead role in an incredibly personal screenplay, only for her to reject him. It’s a fascinating blend of personal and artistic as Gustav recruits a prestigious actress to play the role in Nora’s absence, only for his family to realize just how much his elusive presence impacted their lives. Gustav is undeniably a talented director, and we see one of his films within the film, and it’s a stunning one-shot. That seems to be his entire mojo: try to get the whole thing in one go, and try not to linger too much on the past. If you keep the camera lingering for too long, you’ll lose the audience’s attention.

The tension and conflict within the family is incredibly fascinating to watch. Trier’s dialogue felt like a tennis match unfolding right before your very eyes. You feel entranced by Gustav’s charm and wit in one moment, yet you cringe internally when he comments on how he despises theatre, which is Nora’s career. The audience is more inclined to sympathize with Nora, but the film doesn’t let us forget that she’s a bit of a mess. She’s sleeping with her married costar, and it’s implied she’s responsible for breaking up his marriage. Not to mention she’s inherited a lot of trauma from her dad leaving their mom after a turbulent marriage.

Trier’s direction is air-tight, and complements everything you see onscreen. He does an incredible job working with the actors to allow the audience read between the lines. His camera-work seems to peer into Gustav’s conflicted soul, as he attempts to move on while pondering over how to repair his mess with the limited communication skills he has.

But one of the best parts of the film isn’t a character, but a house. I was able to attend another Cinema Society screening + Q&A tonight, where Trier and Skarsgaard were both present. Trier discussed working with the cinematographer to capture the best moments of transitional lighting to complement every aspect of the family house that is essentially its own character. As each family member moves about the space, you get the sense they are inhabiting different memories, and that perhaps there are ghosts they are not ready to acknowledge. Even though decades pass, the house still remains the same, but the remnants of old wallpaper and markings of the girls growing up remain etched into the very fabric of the building.

Maybe it’s just my love for Gothic literature coming to the front, but I love when films use the architecture of certain houses to elicit emotion and externalize conflict. As Elle Fanning’s Hollywood actress moves about the space, she feels both at home and completely foreign. When the camera stands in one single hallway, it’s like looking back in time at a memory you desperately want to forget, where one single image can change your life forever. In Sentimental Value, the true sentiment isn’t the cozy feeling of home, but the sheer alienation you can get from stepping inside it.

This film sneaked up on me in its best moments. I was not expecting to cry in this film, but I was sniffing and wiping away tears that weren’t even there yet in the theater. That same feeling was being shared in every audience member at the Riv tonight, and it felt magical. Not to sound like Nicole Kidman, but that’s why we come to the movies. Despite the film’s unique story, it felt entirely universal in a way that could transcend age and lifespan.

FURTHER THOUGHTS:

• I need to hug my sister.
• Along with Russell Crowe, I’d like to submit Stellan Skarsgard up for the award of Longtime Award-Winning Actor Who Truly Excels At Playing Dirty Old Men.
• I am definitely planning on giving my cousins a DVD of The Piano Lesson for Christmas to help them understand maternal relationships.