SENTIMENTAL VALUE MOVIE REVIEW

After his critical success from 2021’s The Worst Person in the World, Joachim Trier’s new film Sentimental Value dives right back into the complex “feels” pool. The film follows Nora (Renate Reinsve) and her deeply fraught relationship with her father, Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård), who is a celebrated film director on his way to a comeback. After the recent passing of Nora and her sister Agnes’ (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) mother, Gustav finds his way back into their lives and doesn’t necessarily try to mend their distant relationship, but to involve them as much as he can in his next and maybe last film project. We follow Nora’s fractured life as a stage actress while she juggles a messy relationship with a fellow actor. We also see Agnes’ quiet life with her family as she uncovers the harrowing history of their family. The film utilizes many techniques to explore their family and their history, one of which uses the house where they grew up as a framing device that allows the film to explore their tragic history. Trier’s brilliant writing and directing shines through as does his empathy towards each character. You would think walking into a film such as Sentimental Value that you would go into it expecting to focus your hate towards a particular character, but Trier’s approach is so much more and loving. Listen as Wright, Nathan, Rhett, and Marco discuss their own family histories but gush over what very may be one of the best films of 2025.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE/TRAILER

DIRECTED BY: Joachim Trier

STARRING: Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Elle Fanning, Anders Danielsen Lie, Cory Michael Smith, Catherine Cohen, Andreas Stoltenberg Granerud, Øyvind Hesjedal Loven, Jesper Christensen, Lars Väringer, Ida Marianne Vassbotn Klasson

 

YOUR REVIEWERS

 



Wright Sulek (The Other Boss, Trash in the Can, Digital Noise, Highly Suspect Reviews, One Man’s Trash, Screener Squad)

Wright hails from the northern suburbs of Dallas, Texas. His passion for filmmaking brought him to Austin to study and make movies. Since then he’s had his hand in acting, writing, and directing his own short films with numerous like-minded film geeks he’s met along his journey. His newest interest has brought him into the podcasting world. He co-hosted a few different movie related podcasts such as ‘And Now This’ and ‘The Match Cut’. He currently co-hosts with longtime friend, Eric Samaniego, where they talk shop about the grimiest, trashiest, lost gems of movies on their show, ‘Trash in the Can’. Wright also guests and hosts reviews on Screener Squad and Highly Suspect Reviews as well as co-hosts Digital Noise with Chris Cox. As of 2024, Wright has now been inducted into the Austin Film Critics Association as well as co-owns the One of Us network with Chris Cox.

 



Nathan Flynn (Screener Squad, Highly Suspect Reviews)

Nathan Flynn is the resident goofball of OneofUs.Net, often found overly caffeinated, slightly stoned, and ready to unleash the hottest takes imaginable. As the resident Letterboxd Lunatic, his movie opinions are as bold as his love for Top Gun: Maverick — a film he considers less of a movie and more of a religion. When he’s not passionately defending his latest cinematic obsession, Nathan manages a comedy club in downtown Austin, where he’s somehow avoided being heckled… so far. Around here, he’s usually the punching bag, but hey, someone’s gotta do it.

 



Rhett O’Hara

Rhett O’Hara has really been looking forward to writing this “about me”. He blames movies for a lot of things in his life. He blames seeing Batman Returns as a child for his interest in all things goth and camp.