Sentimental Value is a Norwegian feature directed by Joachim Trier and represents MUBI in the current awards season. The film stars Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning, alongside a strong supporting cast, and is now in the Academy race, earning significant recognition.

There’s a lot to admire in Sentimental Value. On a technical level, the film is stunning: the editing, the soundtrack, the production design and cinematography work beautifully together, making clear its intentions from the start, especially through the use of color and space. Nothing feels accidental.

The performances captivate thanks to dialogue that feels sharp and restrained, giving the characters emotional weight without overdoing it.

Elle Fanning, in particular, really stands out. Her growth as an actress over the years is undeniable, but here the leap feels even more noticeable. Compared to her earlier work — especially A Complete Unknown (dir. James Mangold) — she shows a level of confidence and restraint that signals a clear turning point in her career.

That said, a few choices end up working against it. The pacing in the first half is unnecessarily slow, to the point where it can feel like the story isn’t quite going anywhere. There’s a sense of hesitation early on, as if the film is still figuring itself out.

Another point that bothered me was the lack of any visible trigger warnings. While not as explicit as films like A Man Called Otto (dir. Marc Forster), Sentimental Value  relies heavily on suggestion in certain scenes, and that can be enough to trigger some viewers. Ignoring that context feels a bit irresponsible.

It also feels worth noting how casually this subject is treated in Nordic cinema. Themes of emotional withdrawal are often presented as almost ordinary, quietly embedded in everyday life. And while this approach may feel culturally consistent, it can still be unsettling, especially when those layers aren’t properly signposted in marketing campaigns or promotional materials for the audience.

Story-wise, the premise is genuinely interesting. But for anyone paying attention to the current industry tensions — from streaming platforms reshaping theatrical windows to Netflix’s growing influence over production models — the film’s message becomes hard to miss. I personally agree with many of those concerns, but the way they’re framed here feels risky, and at times unnecessarily blunt.

That’s ultimately where the film loses me. There’s an incredible story buried underneath it all, but along the way, that potential starts to fade. The issue isn’t the performances or the craft, but the approach, the way the film chooses to push its ideas rather than letting them emerge more organically.

But despite all that, Sentimental Value still proves to be a film worth engaging with, even when it frustrates. There’s real ambition in its ideas and undeniable care in its craft. In the end, what lingers isn’t disappointment, but a sense of missed opportunity, as the film had all the elements to say something sharper and more lasting, instead of prioritizing its message over narrative.

Sentimental Value is now playing in theaters worldwide.