Overview
A poignant journey through the complexities of family and the healing power of creativity.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- intimate
- reflective
- quiet evening
- reflective movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Joachim Trier's direction and screenplay, its profound meditation on art, grief, and forgiveness, and its exceptional central performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Gustav's filmmaking and the family's relationship to his artistic life connect creative expression with the possibility of forgiveness.
The strained bond between Gustav and his daughters Nora and Agnes is explicitly shaped by absence, memories, and past tragedy.
The film is described as melancholic, mature, profoundly moving, and oriented toward healing domestic discord.
The central family conflict is intertwined with Gustav's identity as an acclaimed film director and the artistic cost of creation.
Films like Sentimental Value, and why
The Worst Person in the World
Shared intimate family drama, artistic self-examination, emotional restraint, and focus on parent-child estrangement.
The Celebration
Shared melancholic yet humane Scandinavian drama, fractured family relationships, and emotionally revealing performances.
The Squid and the Whale
Shared emphasis on grief, inherited pain, reconciliation, and quiet domestic tension within a psychologically detailed family story.
The Fabelmans
Shared meta-cinematic drama about filmmaking, memory, family wounds, and the difficult overlap between art and personal life.
Movie Details
- Director
- Joachim Trier
- Release Date
- 2025-08-20
- Runtime
- 133 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (1116)
Cast
- Renate Reinsve
- Stellan Skarsgård
- Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas
- Elle Fanning
- Anders Danielsen Lie
- Jesper Christensen
- Lena Endre
- Cory Michael Smith
- Catherine Cohen
- Andreas Stoltenberg Granerud
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Sentimental Value about?
- An acclaimed Norwegian family drama about two sisters confronting the emotional legacy of their filmmaker father's absence through memory, art, and forgiveness.
- What is Sentimental Value like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Sentimental Value as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Sentimental Value violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Sentimental Value.
- What did critics think of Sentimental Value?
- Critics broadly praised Joachim Trier's direction and screenplay, its profound meditation on art, grief, and forgiveness, and its exceptional central performances.
- Which films are like Sentimental Value?
- Films with a similar feel include The Worst Person in the World, The Celebration, The Squid and the Whale, and The Fabelmans.
- How long is Sentimental Value?
- Sentimental Value runs 133 minutes.
- Where can I watch Sentimental Value?
- In United States, Sentimental Value streams on Hulu.
