By Betsan Branson William, First Year, French and German
Sentimental Value follows the story of a dysfunctional family who, after years of ruptured communication, make their ways back into one another’s lives after father Gustav Borg, a near-retiring director, decides to direct one last film.
Immediately, you can tell that Joachim Trier, director of the film, known best for The Worst Person in the World (2021), had planned the film to every last detail. The film has an incredible ensemble cast, comprised of Stellan Skarsgård, Renate Reinsve, Elle Fanning, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas and others, with each part being so intentionally cast. This captures the film’s aims of combining the idea of a Nordic drama with the accessibility of Hollywood, where Trier now finds himself, being a well-known name to the Academy, but with roots in Norwegian cinema.
The film begins with an introduction to Nora (Renate Reinsve), a successful stage actress who is facing somewhat of an ‘actors-block’, if you will. It becomes evident that increasingly with every performance, she requires more and more shock and adrenaline in order to get ‘into the role’ and will resort to extreme measures to do so. Reinsve’s layered and complex portrayal of the character is what hooks the audience throughout the film, as we discover more about her familial relationships and notably, daddy issues.
At some points, Nora seems so put-together, able to perfectly express her emotions, at others she regresses to her childhood-self and runs away from confronting situations in an almost slapstick routine, or starts an affair with a married man. Her unpredictable nature is what leaves us hanging and wanting more as an audience. This very well may be Reinsve’s Oscar-winning performance.
References to theatre extend beyond the opening scene of the film, such as a reference to Nina’s monologue from Chekhov’s The Seagull, which Nora is said to perform in her audition for theatre school. There are also closer references to Norway, such as Reinsve’s character being named Nora, potentially after Ibsen’s Nora Helmer from A Doll’s House, who, unlike Nora Borg, begins in the domestic sphere of her Oslo home at the beginning of the play and liberates herself by leaving the house at the end of the play.
Stellan Skarsgård is perfect at playing his role of the absent father who clearly has traumas but is unwilling to resolve any of them. A little like Bill Murray in Lost in Translation (2003), it is clear that Gustav is a little lost in life – no matter his successes, he knows that there is still something missing in his life: a repaired relationship with his daughters. It is no surprise that he is nominated for the Golden Globe (and that the film has been nominated for seven other categories).
Elle fanning’s portrayal of Rachel Kemp, a Hollywood star, must be praised for her ability to depict an actress who is clearly successful and talented, but isn’t quite right for the part in Gustav’s film, and a little lost in life. There is a scene where she delivers a monologue from Gustav’s film and manages to act it well enough that it is nearly there, but also in a way that shows that she is not totally comfortable with it – a hard scene to pull off.
The screenplay, co-written by Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt, Trier’s long-time writing-partner, is filled with comedic moments amongst the drama, such as a hilarious gag about an Ikea stool which received many laughs in the audience, as well as the moments of culture-clashes between the American and Norwegian characters of the film.
As in The Worst Person in the World, the film is narrated by an impartial narrator who delivers information in a matter-of-fact way, almost like in Amèlie (2001), telling us the feelings of the characters without that awkward use of expositional writing which we all know too well.
The symbol of the house throughout the film is really what keeps it all together. The house is a character within the film itself. We see the story of its birth, in which it was constructed by a great grandfather of Gustav, the characters who were its tenants, and also discover that there is a flaw within the house : a large crack in the wall extending from the basement to the upper floors, potentially reflecting what happens when a dysfunctional family buries its trauma.
Charles Hubbard
There is an undeniable Bergman influence throughout the film, highlighting its Scandinavian origins. Most notably Persona (1966) seems to be an influence on Trier, a film about actress Elisabet who, after years performing as a theatre actress suddenly stops speaking and is advised to recover in a seaside cottage – a phenomenon that may hit a little too close to home for Nora who returns to her family home after several panic attacks pre-performance.
The soundtrack, like the rest of Trier’s filmography, is filled with 80s nostalgia, and also features a Labi Siffre track, Cannock Chase, which may be the key to success in a 2020s film, with The Holdovers also using Crying, Loving, Laughing, Lying in its soundtrack, as well as several TV Shows as of late.
Overall, it’s an incredible watch, and could be enjoyed by all. Not forgetting to mention the beautiful cinematography, characteristic of Trier’s work. You’ll be teary eyed at some moments and laugh at others.
Featured Image: IMDb / Betsan Branson William
Have you managed to catch Sentimental Value this Christmas holiday?
