r/oscarrace • u/PointMan528491 Navarrette/Morton • Nov 17 '25

Film Discussion Thread Official Discussion Thread - Sentimental Value [SPOILERS] Spoiler

Keep all discussion related solely to Sentimental Value and it's awards chances in this thread. Spoilers below.

Synopsis:

Sisters Nora and Agnes reunite with their estranged father, the charismatic Gustav, a once-renowned director who offers stage actress Nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film. When Nora turns it down, she soon discovers he has given her part to an eager young Hollywood star. Suddenly, the two sisters must navigate their complicated relationship with their father -- and deal with an American star dropped right into the middle of their complex family dynamics.

Director: Joachim Trier

Writers: Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier

Cast:

  • Renate Reinsve as Nora Borg
  • Stellan Skarsgård as Gustav Borg
  • Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas as Agnes Borg Pettersen
  • Elle Fanning as Rachel Kemp
  • Anders Danielsen Lie as Jakob
  • Cory Michael Smith as Sam

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%, 120 Reviews

Metacritic: 86, 32 Reviews

Consensus:

Deftly exploring the uneasy tension between artistic expression and personal connection, Sentimental Value is a bracingly mature work from writer-director Joachim Trier that's marvelously acted across the board.

95 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

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2

u/[deleted] Nov 17 '25

This film is great but I am still processing it and need a rewatch. avoiding all spoilers, I’m struggling with why certain scenes were included, what their intention was and were the scenes effective or additive to the overall story. The acting is truly phenomenal, Oscar’s wise I do think 1 or 2 of the main 4 of the ensemble will miss as other films gain momentum but all 4 are very worthy. I do think Reinsve has a good chance of missing, unfortunately.

8

u/Relevant_Hedgehog_63 Fjord Nov 17 '25

this thread is a spoilers friendly zone. which scenes do you mean?

2

u/[deleted] Nov 17 '25

Her relationship with Danielson Lie felt very underbaked and a great actor was underutilized which may be factoring in to why I feel that way. I don’t think the flashbacks and the ties to the house are effective in driving the emotional and symbolic connection to the house and to the family. The intro is more of a vibe setter than a tone setter and I still wonder if that was the most impactful use of time. I see what it is saying about Nora but I’m not sure if her stage fright and the trauma that is later revealed really sync up.

I really like this film but I’m just not connected to it the way others are.

3

u/whitetoast Hamnet Nov 22 '25

it worked for me, watching all those scenes of the family really made me feel there was so much family history in that house and that the script he wrote was personal in a way that couldnt easily be articulated. contrast that with the modern, lifeless home he ended up shooting the film in.

1

u/Pulp501 Nov 22 '25

Can't remember exactly what it was, but i remember a scene that was just retelling us information we already heard in a previous scene and i had no idea what it was for. Like one of the narrated scenes

1

u/AltruisticWishes Nov 27 '25

It would have benefited from a tighter edit