Review: Sentimental Value (2025) – A quiet, layered drama about family and the weight of the past
Review: Sentimental Value (2025) – A quiet, layered drama about family and the weight of the past
In Sentimental Value, director and co-writer Joachim Trier returns with a deeply introspective drama centered on an aging filmmaker and his fractured relationship with his two daughters. Stellan Skarsgård stars as Gustav Borg, a once-celebrated director whose complicated past resurfaces as he reconnects with his family. The film also stars Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas as his daughters, with Trier co-writing the screenplay alongside longtime collaborator Eskil Vogt.
This is definitely a more contemplative, art-house film. The performances across the board are excellent, but Skarsgård is particularly compelling as Gustav, a man from an older generation of filmmakers whose career and personal life are tangled together in ways that are difficult to untangle. Watching him navigate regret, ego, and vulnerability makes for a complex portrait of a character who isn’t always easy to sympathize with, but is fascinating to watch.
At the heart of the story is the generational trauma that flows between Gustav and his daughters. Trier and Vogt are known for writing layered, emotionally intricate characters, and that continues here. The film explores how pain and unresolved conflict quietly move through families over time, and for some viewers that dynamic will feel very familiar.
The film also moves between multiple languages, reflecting the international nature of the characters and their lives. It adds authenticity to the story, but it also reinforces the emotional distance that exists between them.
This is not an upbeat movie. Sentimental Value is slow, thoughtful, and often heavy in tone. You’re not watching it for a feel-good experience, but for audiences who appreciate character-driven storytelling and emotionally layered performances, the film delivers something very well crafted.
Sentimental Value is streaming on Video on Demand, December 23.
12/17/25 S9:E Broadcast Package
