Sentimental Value

‘Sentimental Value’ opens with a family retrospective, the main focus being their lifelong home—containing the objects that give the film its title—which has a significant flaw in its foundation. A large crack is visible inside. While there may not be a threat of the structure splitting in two, it's impossible not to notice that something is wrong. From this premise, Joachim Trier and co-writer Eskil Vogt ironically construct their first masterpiece. Through a profound study of a family fractured by resentment and abandonment, these filmmakers give us one of the most moving films of the year, exploring cinema itself as a way of understanding and communication between human beings. The art of working with pain; the pain of making art. It’s, without a doubt, 2025’s best movie.

I'm a fan of the Scandinavian style in general, but there's a difference between 'understated' and 'not saying anything at all.' While the actors did what they could with what they had to work with, I found the film to be superficial. Despite the small cast, you hardly get to know any of the characters, and several elements, such as having a narrator or the use of CGI or the script which is supposedly so amazing, are barely touched upon and then discarded. And the 'happy ending' to me felt quite hollow.

It's at most a fragmented film exploring family member's detachment, alienation, friction through history, generations and one another. The film doesn't connect well and leaves lots of holes that need the audience to connect the dots. While it does arouse sentiments on audience, it leaves raw darkness on watchers as well.

第一次看的时候，看到一半实在看不下去了。但本片进了奥提，还是要看完的。 和《火车梦》一样，都是看不下去分了两次看完的，但火车梦的摄影至少还是看的人一本满足，并且对一个人一生娓娓道来的叙述还是很唯美的。本片我是真的欣赏不来，可能还是缺少生活阅历吧……

I didn’t like the film very much; I found it overly artsy and boring. I fell asleep several times. I think the film doesn’t communicate well with a more diverse audience.