The challenges of family dynamics sit at the heart of awardwinning filmmaker Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value,” playing at the M.V. Playhouse starting on Friday, Nov. 28.
Trier sets the stage with footage of an old, gabled Oslo family home as an anonymous voice-over relates that the main protagonist, Nora (Renate Reinsve), in sixth grade, was told to write an essay as if she were an object. The voice says, “She knew at once she’d be their house.” Scenes flash by, depicting different inhabitants of the house over the generations.
The voice-over continues: “She wrote that it was as if the house was sinking, collapsing, only in slow motion, and that her family’s time there was just a split-second in midair.” We glimpse sad moments in the troubled childhood of Nora and her sister Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) as they live amid their parents’ strife. When their father leaves, the voice continues, “But what the house disliked more than noise was silence.” Trier skillfully employs silence throughout the film to amplify the subtle inner emotions of the characters, which are conveyed as effectively through their expressions as through the dialogue. The house, too, full of living, breathing memories, plays a central role in the film.
When the story begins, Nora is a successful actress, and Agnes has a loving family. We see them in the house filled with people, gathering after their mother’s funeral. When their estranged father, Gustav (Stellan Skarsgard), shows up, tension fills the air, and the exchange between the sisters and father is uncomfortable. Before leaving, Gustav tells Nora that they must meet: “I think it’s time you and I had a proper talk.”
It turns out that the aging Gustav, a once-celebrated director eager to reclaim his former glory, has come to offer Nora the lead role in his long-awaited comeback film. He tries to bully her into accepting: “This film could be your big break,” and Nora angrily snaps, “You don’t have any right to worry about me.”
Gustav proceeds to cast a rising Hollywood star (Elle Fanning) in his poignant film, which is loosely inspired by his mother’s tragic life. Their relationship becomes complicated as rehearsals progress, alongside the increasing tension between Gustav and Nora as old wounds resurface, despite moments of yearning for connection.
While “Sentimental Value” is heavily influenced by the past, the narrative is far from sweetly sentimental. It is, though, rich in feelings beautifully portrayed by the family members as the nuanced tale unfolds.
“Sentimental Value” screens at the M.V. Film Center starting on Friday, Nov. 28. For tickets and information, visit mvfilmsociety.com.
