The film’s Danish-Norwegian co-writer and director, Joachim Trier, has crafted something grand and sprawling: a family saga spiralling across decades and generations, spliced with a movie about moviemaking. It’s a film that churns and rolls emotionally like Bergman, but tears into heavy themes with a springiness, even a playfulness, with four meaty parts for its terrific leads. 

Sisters Nora and Agnes reunite with their estranged father, the charismatic Gustav, a once-renowned director who offers stage actress Nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film. When Nora turns it down, she soon discovers he has given her part to an eager young Hollywood star. Suddenly, the two sisters must navigate their complicated relationship with their father, and deal with an American star dropped right into the middle of their complex family dynamics.

It has been said that Hollywood has stopped making movies for adults, with a few exceptions, leaving room for the Europeans. Sentimental Value is leading the charge offering something raw, real and satisfyingly grownup, aiming some digs at Netflix and the general industry queasiness around anything with more depth than a puddle.

Deftly exploring the uneasy tension between artistic expression and personal connection, Sentimental Value is a bracingly mature work that's extremely well acted across the board.