Keswick Film Club - Reviews - Sentimental Value

Last Sunday¸'Sentimental Value' - nominated for NINE Oscars - went down very well in Keswick, with another almost full house.

Gustav abandoned his family years ago to direct films. Now his wife has died, and he has come back to his family home for the funeral to find his two daughters, Nora and Agnes, want nothing to do with him; Nora turns down a role in his latest autobiographical film. Not to be beaten, he gives the role to an American actress, Rachel. The film then follows the feelings of both daughters, Gustav and Rachel as he attempts to get his film started.

I, for one, loved it; an almost 'old-fashioned' drama of thoughts more than actions, the director Joachim Trier gradually builds the audience's view of what happened in the past, why the two girls don't trust him and what he is trying to do in his new film. With mistrust all around, we, too, can see that Gustav is, at best, trying to lead two lives, at worst, just using his daughters, but as the film goes on, we get a deeper understanding of his thoughts, and a better understanding of the daughters' lives.

Director Joachim Trier has been compared to Ingmar Bergman, who, coincidentally was nominated for 9 Oscars; Can a Norwegian film really win Oscars? We shall soon find out.