The Reel Review
Once-renowned filmmaker Gustav Borg’s decision to cast an eager Hollywood star in his long-awaited comeback film opens old emotional wounds with his estranged daughters, who must now navigate a new obstacle in their complicated family dynamic. Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning star in this Norwegian drama from Oscar-nominated director Joachim Trier (The Worst Person in the World).
One of the hallmarks of Trier’s films with longtime writing partner Eskil Vogt (which besides The Worst Person in the World, also includes Thelma, Louder Than Bombs, Oslo, August 31st, and Reprise) is their ability to tap into authentic emotion, and Sentimental Value is no exception. Skarsgård and Reinsve both give mutli-layered, award-worthy performances as we discover that Gustav’s film, with its themes of intergenerational trauma, depression, nepotism and suicide, is largely autobiographical and is also about his eldest daughter, Nora, whom he initially wanted to star. Fanning is also a standout, illustrating how actresses hone their craft and tap into their characters.
The only criticisms are minor – scenes that end abruptly and a slightly bloated story that would have benefited from editing out 15 minutes. The very meta Sentimental Value, which incorporates aspects of filmmaking into its movie about making movies, also showcases how an object, in this case the house that has been in the family for generations, is transformed over the decades by ever-changing life circumstances, which will evoke memories of our own lives and a reminder that our parents are the products of their own experiences, both good and bad, and of which we may not be aware.
REEL FACTS
• Sentimental Value, Norway’s Best International film submission for the 2026 Oscars, was recently shortlisted and is expected to also garner a Best Picture nomination.
• Joachim Trier got the idea for the film after his family’s house was put on the market and sold. He wrote the role of Nora with Renate Reinsve, the Cannes award-winning star of his 2021 hit The Worst Person in the World, in mind.
• Renate Reinsve has now appeared in three of Joachim Trier’s films – the other two being Oslo, August 31st and The Worst Person in the World, the latter which also co-starred Anders Danielsen Lie who appears in this film as Nora’s romantic interest.
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