Another gem from Joachim Trier.
We start with a classic American song, cut to a stage production where the music sounds like the opening theme to “The Shining,” and the leading lady may either have stage freight or something kind of stress that threatens to trigger her. That leading lady is named Nora Borg, and she’s portrayed by Renate Reinsve in “Sentimental Value.” This is the latest collaboration between her and filmmaker Joachim Trier, after “Oslo, August 31st” and “The Worst Person in the World,” and it shows us a sad, consistent, sometimes funny, sometimes nostalgic, and vulnerable look at the distinction between parenting and acting. How one thing can affect another, and how the results can be handled.
In fact, I was just thinking back to “Regretting You,” which has found a small audience of young movie-goers, who apparently seemed to be hypnotized by the teenage love story and the mother daughter relationship, both of which I felt were sour, cynical, and immature. Whatever problems the daughters and parents are facing in “Sentimental Value,” they handle them like calm, mature, and honest adults. And I suppose that’s what I find most relaxing about this film.
After the film’s introduction, Nora’s mother passes away and unexpectedly reunites with her estranged, filmmaker father Gustav (Stellan Skarsgard). He abandoned her and her younger sister Agnes (Angela Ibsodtotter Lilleaas) as kids, and now, he wants Nora to star in his screenplay, which she refuses. But after celebrating his most iconic opus at a film festival, he’s greeted by the actress Rachel Kemp (Elle Fanning), who becomes the leading lady in his latest project, as well as the film’s only moments to speak in English, while the rest is spoken in Swedish or Norwegian. To clarify, the story is set in Oslo, Norway, but Gustav relocated to Sweden.
The film Gustav plans to make is a semi-autobiographical film, regarding his mother who resorted to suicide after being haunted by Nazi torture during WWII. This would also take place in his family home, which is slowly decaying (the narrator comments on how so). This could either be a career comeback for him, or a chance to think about what it means to be a filmmaker and a father. So, while Nora focuses on her own work and her own pathos (which also includes another Trier’s regular Anders Danielsen Lie as her colleague and romantic interest Jakob), Agnes works with her father a bit, especially since she acted in her father’s iconic film as a child.
The trailer for “Sentimental Value” plays to the tune of “Ooh La La” by Faces. You know. The song with the lyrics: “I wish that I knew what I know now when I was younger.” It now makes more sense, considering that the father made some bad choices and how it might affect his daughters. Trier presents this movie with the right sentimentality (I know, but I had to say it) and the right set of stars who can ease into their characters and speak the right languages.
This is the part where I tell the mother and daughter of “Regretting You,” “Why can’t you two be like this family? They have different problems that may affect the daughters, but they handle their pathos like mature adults.” I don’t care about whatever comments you throw at me, I still had to compare and contrast both movies aimed at different target audiences.
The performances from Skarsgard, Reinsve, Lilleaas, and Fanning are all exceptional in their own ways of trying to adjust to Trier and Eskil Vogt’s screenplay. None of their characters are routine or self-congratulatory, but people. Even Fanning’s actress character questions about whether or not she is right for the leading role, which is an example of the film’s consideration.
“Sentimental Value” delivers as a movie, and sometimes a movie within a movie. And you can tell by the blue screen in the backgrounds. But most of the movie is real.
Now Playing in Select Theaters
