‘Sentimental Value’ Review: Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgard and Elle Fanning Illuminate Joachim Trier’s Piercing Reflection on Family and Memory

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Joachim Trier consistently elicits powerful performances from his actors in his intimately crafted films. With great empathy, he delves into their personal lives to unearth authentic truths that resonate deeply with the characters they portray. In essence, actors seem to inhabit rather than play their roles in Trier’s work. His latest masterpiece, the 2022 film The Worst Person in the World, is a unique blend of romantic comedy and anti-romantic comedy. It offers a nuanced exploration of a woman going through a complex transitional phase, filled with insights that echo our own generational struggles and flaws.

Lars von Trier’s latest masterpiece, titled “Sentimental Value” or “Affeksjonsverdi“, explores the transition from romantic to familial love, showcasing both peaceful and tumultuous moments filled with resentment and anger. The director skillfully portrays the complex dynamics between sisters and, more profoundly, fathers and daughters, leaving a deep emotional impact on the audience. This movie, though weighted by melancholy, occasionally introduces unexpected bursts of humor. As with all of von Trier’s films, its powerful emotions creep up subtly rather than being overtly announced.

In the film “Sentimental Value“, there are subtle hints of Bergman’s style, yet also echoes of Chekhov and Ibsen. These classic authors are skillfully blended into a modern context, enriching our perception of history, memory, and their impact on characters. With sensitivity and compassion, it delves into the explosive power of art and the price artists pay when creating deeply personal work, not just for themselves, but also for those they may have unintentionally hurt.

The charm of this Oslo family home, resembling a storybook cottage amidst verdant gardens with panoramic city views, is undeniably enchanting. Yet, beneath its idyllic facade lies a fortress steeped in sorrow, carrying echoes of past pain within its very walls.

I’m utterly smitten by Renate Reinsve, the radiant actress who graced the screen as Nora in “The Worst Person in the World.” In this captivating role, she portrays an accomplished stage actress, channeling her apprehensions into demanding performances. As a youngster, she penned an essay for school about our family home, imbuing it with a rich history and even sentient qualities, a precocious insight beyond her years.

A humorous initial sequence showcases Reinsve’s innate talent for physical comedy involving chaos, as Nora experiences yet another bout of debilitating stage fright. She overlooks her musical cue (the ominous introductory notes from the main theme of ‘The Shining’) amidst a dramatic breakdown, resisting all attempts by her director to persuade her to perform. Director Kasper Tuxen skillfully captures her actions with his nimble camera as she flees from her dressing room to the backstage, clinging to her fellow actor and lover Jakob (Anders Danielsen Lie, known for ‘Worst Person’ and previous works by Trier). In a state of distress, she begs him either to make love to her or, failing that, to slap her. He chooses the latter option.

During their mother’s funeral, Nora remains composed while her sister Agnes, usually so poised (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, an academic historian), appears distraught. Instead of joining the commotion downstairs, Nora seeks solace near the heating vents, a spot she used to hide as a child during family squabbles or her therapist mother’s consultations with clients; it takes her aback when she hears her father Gustav’s (Stellan Skarsgard) voice, an unforeseen presence.

Originally renowned as a successful film director, Gustav experienced a 15-year period of artistic drought. During this time, he left his family when the girls were still young and moved to Sweden, ultimately divorcing their mother. The reunion between them is understandably tense. To make things even more complicated, their mother retained the house following the divorce, but the official documents were never signed, which means that Gustav now legally owns it.

Trier and his frequent collaborator Eskil Vogt swiftly immerse us into the intricate dynamics of the family, subtly infusing humor even in the more somber moments.

Gustav asks Nora if he can talk to her when he’s in town, later presenting her with a script that he thinks is his best work and could be a major breakthrough for him as a director. He suggests she play the main character, a young mother, which seems to be inspired by a personal story – though Gustav insists it isn’t.

Nora firmly distances herself from the movie and its associated individual, labeling him as a habitual drinker who’s brought nothing but sorrow to the family. Moreover, she mentions that he has rarely acknowledged her professional endeavors and seldom attended her stage performances. This indifference towards theater, he claims without regret, is simply his preference.

In this role, Skarsgard has an opportunity to showcase Gustav’s arrogance, irresponsibility, and flirtatious allure as the story unfolds. As the stage/screen distinction reinforces Nora’s perception of him as an adversary, he further solidifies this image by stating, “I don’t despise theater. I merely dislike watching it.” True to form, he misses her opening night performance.

Eager to move forward with the movie, he selected American actress Rachel Kemp, who I had encountered during a film festival where I was being recognized. However, she’s grown weary of Hollywood and is unenthusiastic about the projects she has on her plate, as she doesn’t feel a strong tie to any of them. (Elle Fanning plays the role of Rachel Kemp in this context.)

Rachel shows strong emotions upon watching a World War II drama from long ago, which made Gustav famous and is about orphaned Jewish children struggling to evade the Nazis. The movie concludes with an intense close-up of a young girl’s frightened expression.

Actor Agnes reminisced about the movie shoot being the sole occasion where she felt at the heart of her father’s world. When he proposed casting her son Erik (Oyvind Hesjedal Loven) in his upcoming project, she quickly declined, yet he persisted by attempting to persuade the boy indirectly. On his grandson’s ninth birthday, DVD collections that weren’t exactly child-appropriate were presented as a gift. Finding less age-suitable films might prove challenging.

In a playful yet self-deprecating manner, Skarsgard humorously acknowledges his transition from a sought-after director to an aging art house filmmaker whose glory days may have passed. He pays a visit to his longtime collaborator Peter, who now resides in a luxurious home funded by his work on Lasse Hallström productions. However, after fifteen years apart, Peter has retired and his health issues prevent him from taking up the proposed project, causing Gustav to reluctantly withdraw the offer. Later, Gustav seeks advice from his producer Michael, questioning if he’s too old for this line of work.

Trier and Vogt subtly incorporate themes of intergenerational sorrow and suffering, as seen in the scenes where Gustav practices with Rachel, as well as in the historical records that Agnes unearths about her grandmother who was accused of treason, jailed, and tormented during Germany’s occupation.

Though the film often uses humor, it skillfully blends past and present events to evoke a deep sense of emotion. This results in one of Trier’s signature stylistic touches, where the faces of various generations seem to overlap, each looking straight into the camera, as if transforming from one person to another.

At approximately this period, Rachel begins to have reservations about participating in the movie, as she recognizes it isn’t her tale to narrate. In one of the film’s most heartwarming moments, she talks to Gustav about withdrawing; he displays a level of paternal affection towards her that might be unparalleled in his relationships with his daughters. Skarsgard delivers an unexpectedly touching performance as Gustav admits to himself his shortcomings within his family, and his overconfident demeanor crumbles suddenly.

Towards the end of the film, there are touching scenes between the sisters that suggest a reversal of roles from their childhood days. While Nora used to take care of Agnes when they were young, it’s now Agnes who safeguards her more vulnerable sister, much like she did with their ailing mother. Even though Reinsve delivers a remarkable performance, Ibsdotter Lilleaas, relatively unknown outside Norway, mirrors every emotional nuance perfectly. In one poignant moment, Nora queries Agnes, “How did this happen?” to which Agnes responds, “You turned out alright, and I’m the one who’s broken.

Contrary to how a Hollywood screenwriter like Rachel Kemp might portray this tale, it doesn’t end with a clean, satisfying resolution. However, Trier manages to keep some aces up his sleeve, offering unexpected twists and maintaining a tiny crack for optimism – just enough room for a glimmer of hope to seep in.

Instead of being just another typical family drama, the film “Sentimental Value” offers an exceptional abundance of emotional payoffs and thoughtful insights into how our homes can store memories that last long after we’ve moved on. The movie’s poignancy builds subtly, with each delicate scene masterfully crafted as the influence of past generations grows more palpable.

Film director Tuxon skillfully uses the pristine Scandinavian sunlight to create a wide, expansive feel for the intimate film. Just as he did before with his clever music selections in Worst Person, Trier once again employs intriguing tunes that subtly influence the atmosphere – similar to how he used Harry Nilsson’s songs and Art Garfunkel’s cover of “Waters of March.

In this film, he frames the movie with two heartfelt and comforting songs: “Dancing Girl” by Terry Callier and “Cannock Chase” by Labi Siffre. If your music taste ranges from Roxy Music to Michael Nyman, New Order to Pastor T.L. Barrett & the Youth for Christ Choir, it makes you yearn to get a glimpse of their record collection.

The entire ensemble delivers outstanding performances, but it’s particularly heartening to witness Reinsve collaborating once more with a director who elicits her deepest emotions, yet also challenges the mind – even within this generally gloomy and predominantly dramatic setting, one can imagine how well-suited she might be for screwball comedy.

A particular moment stands out, filled with joy, where Nora and Agnes are inside their home, organizing items, contemplating which mementos they’d like to preserve.

In the scene, Nora selects the very vase Agnes desired. Upon noticing Gustav entering with Rachel, through the window, Nora, resembling a nervous driver, hastily retreats from the room, narrowly avoiding shattering the vase and managing to hold onto it just in time. She then exits via the back door, dashing across the yard and squeezing through a fence opening while still grasping the vase. As she strides purposefully away from the camera, her actions echo those of her character Julie in the film The Worst Person in the World.

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2025-05-22 01:55