Valor sentimental

Sentimental Value is a multi-layered masterpiece of a film that skillfully shows several generations of a family affected by both historical and personal traumas. The film focuses on two of the generations: father and two daughters living their life in modern Norway and dealing with the emotional baggage from their past in very different ways. The film honestly opens the door for us into this family house so that we see things the way they are, no character is judged or mocked here. Yet, the storytelling itself has its own twists, therefore we can get the pieces together towards the end, which makes this film even more wholesome and delicate. Amazing script, wonderful acting, great choice of music. Bravo!

The movie is blessed with a strong scenario that would have excelented as a novella. The director/co-writer leaves just enough room to keep the audience wandering.

This film is certainly not a tearjerker. The real emotions are often hidden behind smiles. The acting is strong but subtile.

Leaving the theater I didn't have the feeling of having just watched a great movie. But when I realised a week later it still was in my head I couldn't conclude otherwise.

Sentimental Values has been praised left and right as a masterpiece, but for me it lands more in the category of "good, but not great." It's beautifully made, with a strong pace, a well-crafted script and strong acting, giving the story authenticity and emotional weight from beginning to end.

One thing I really appreciated is that the film never feels over-explanatory. It trusts the audience to think, to connect what was said earlier with what's happening later, and to piece things together on their own. That kind of narrative confidence is rare, and it makes the film feel smart without being showy.

The film is also filled with references. Some subtle, some more obvious, that adds an extra layer for those who like to dissect details. It rewards attentive viewers, though at times it felt like the references were more about signaling cleverness than adding actual value to the story.

And yet, when it was over, I wasn't left with much. Despite having a personal connection to the father-child themes it explores, it didn't resonate with me in the way I expected. The structure is clever, the craft is solid, the references are plentiful, but the emotional impact fell short for me.

In the end, Sentimental Values is a finely built film with a lot of strengths, and it's certainly worth watching. But calling it a masterpiece feels like overselling it, at least from where I'm sitting.

This is the first time i rate a movie on imdb. I watched it on cinema a couple of days ago and it is by far the best movie I have ever seen in my life. It's still stuck in my body, even from seeing it two days ago. Really, a masterpiece... Renate is perfect for the role, also the other actors makes it whole. I love how you can almost touch and feel the mood in the movie. Joachim Trier has done it again. This is Oscar worthy, and I hope everyone is watching this at least one time in their life.

Sentimental Value reflects Joachim Trier's Norwegian cultural environment while exploring the psychology of generational trauma. With nuance and compassion, the film shows how parents' choices reverberate through their children's lives, shaping identity and memory. Trier suggests that reconciliation across generations, though fragile, is possible. I found this movie both profound and tender. It triggered long conversations with my wife about our own lives and efforts to raise our children in a supportive and loving environment through both happy and challenging times.