Joachim Trier's "Sentimental Value"

Movie review by Dennis D. McDonald

This movie is almost perfect in every way — the script, the direction, the acting, the photography (!), the sound, everything.

The story: an aging director after many years wants to make another film. He returns to his two grown daughters from whom he has been estranged for years. He tries to convince one to be the lead. She refuses. What then unfolds is a story that jumps seamlessly back and forth in time to reveal not only backstory but the underpinnings why the family’s emotions and relationship are what they are today.

Central to it all is an old family house that serves as the basis for numerous scenes that take place over the years. One especially fraught sequence occurs when one daughter seeks out archival evidence of family member torture that occurred during WWII. Another is a snippet of one of the directors; early films starring one of his daughters — it’s mesmerizing in ways that will be repeated throughout the film.

I only recently learned this film received an Academy Award. I usually pay no attention to those awards but must admit in this case SENTIMENTAL VALUE cannot be praised too highly. Strongly recommended.

Review copyright (c) 2026 by Dennis D. McDonald

Images from SENTIMENTAL VALUE