Oscar Nominee Film Review: SENTIMENTAL VALUE

And…the Oscar for Best Acted Film (top to bottom) goes to the Norwegian film SENTIMENTAL VALUE.

Written and Directed by Joachim Trier (who is Oscar nominated for both), SENTIMENTAL VALUE tells the tale of a family who’s matriarch passes away forcing the estranged patriarch to come back and to decide with his 2 adult children if they should sell the house that has been in their families’ possession for generations. There is much history in this house and it has it’s imperfections - which (of course) is a metaphor for this family.

All three actors who are playing the main members of the Borg family - esteemed (but troubled) Actress Nora (Renate Reinsve), well-grounded younger daughter Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) and, especially, distant movie-director father Gustav (Stellan Skarsgard) - are Oscar nominated for their performances and EVERY ONE deserves it as the scenes featuring these three crackle with intensity, sincerity and realism never once even thinking about falling into melodrama. Their interactions bring a strong sense of family and history and one is instantly drawn into them.

Oh…and Elle Fanning (PREDATOR BADLANDS) is also Oscar Nominated for her role as an American Actress who’s name helps get Gustav’s latest film green lit, but she is totally wrong for the role (a role that should go to his daughter, Nora). It is a tough role for Fanning to play as she is, in essence, the “bad guy” in this film and she needs to play an actress who is unsuited for the acting task at hand. It’s a fine tightrope that Fanning walks…and she walks it well.

Credit for all of this must go to Trier who’s vision of the project elevates the circumstances above the norm as he uses Gustav’s job as filmmaker to blend film and reality and one is constantly knocked off guard by not understanding if you are watching the present, a flashback or a scene in one of Gustav’s films (which are mostly autobiographical).

This being a Norwegian film, it does move at a rather leisurely pace (read: slow) and Trier is in no hurry to get to the destination of a scene - or this film. So be warned about that, but if you catch the mood and pace of this film just right…you can marvel at the craft and deftness of the movie and be awestruck at the very strong performances coming from within.

Letter Grade: A (the BankofMarquis LOVES great acting)

9 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the BankofMarquis