I adore cinema about cinema, and what makes SENTIMENTAL VALUE extra special is its abundance of visual details that explore how humans project themselves onto objects, their work, and other people.
The film is rich in pivotal conversations: between a director and his producer, between an actress and her director, and perhaps the most tender highlight of the film, between sisters discussing their respective fates.
It has also mastered the use of repetition. First, there is the monologue, delivered by a consummate actress in English, and later read by the scriptwriter’s daughter in its original Norwegian. Second is the single-shot scene of the film being made, initially narrated by the director as he explains how it is meant to be executed, moment by moment, and later, as the film concludes, the actual scene unfolding exactly as described. These repeated moments examine memory from different perspectives, and I do not think I have seen this technique used so beautifully and effectively elsewhere.
Renate Reinsve, who previously played another troubled character for Joachim Trier, once again delivers an accessible and deeply relatable performance, while the supporting cast is nothing short of perfection. Definitely one of the best films of 2025.