5 Best Dramas to Watch if You Liked 'Sentimental Value', Ranked by IMDb
These are profound stories for profound watching.
Joachim Trier's Sentimental Value just won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Although the plot seems simple, the movie reveals a profound and poignant story about memory and loss.
If you found yourself yearning for more intimate, emotional stories reminiscent of your own past after watching the credits, this list is for you.
1. 'Louder Than Bombs', 2015
IMDb Score: 6.6/10
The tragic death of Isabelle, a war photographer, turned the lives of her husband and two sons – one an adult and the other a teenager – upside down. Years pass, but the pain continues, gradually destroying the family.
The grieving father grows distant, and the teenage son spirals out of control, prompting his brother to take over his upbringing.
All three of them constantly think about their beloved wife and mother, reliving fragments of conversations and the horrific scene of her death.
2. 'Aftersun', 2022
IMDb Score: 7.6/10
31-year-old Sophie discovers old tapes containing memories of a warm summer she spent with her father, Calum, at a resort in Turkey. Sophie was 11 years old at the time. Her parents had recently divorced, so spending time with her father became a rare and cherished joy for Sophie.
However, the vacation was overshadowed by Sophie's advancing adolescence and her father's mood swings.
With the benefit of hindsight, mature Sophie recognizes the cause of her father's sadness and her own acquired melancholy in the close-ups of him crying on her computer screen.
3. 'Autumn Sonata', 1978
IMDb Score: 8.1/10
World-renowned pianist Charlotte visits her daughter, Eva, whom she hasn't seen in seven years. Their initial meeting is full of smiles, but the false cordiality disappears as soon as they sit down to talk.
Eva grew up a withdrawn and sad woman, incapable of genuine love, feeling like an obstacle to her mother's rejection since childhood.
After her child died, Eva took her paralyzed sister, Helena, from the hospital because Charlotte had completely forgotten about her. Charlotte finds it difficult to understand why Eva sacrifices her peace for others. Now, Eva has a chance to tell her mother about the sorrows she endured as a child.
4. 'His Three Daughters', 2023
IMDb Score: 7.1/10
From childhood, Rachel was neither obedient nor ambitious – she was addicted to nicotine and gambling. She passed these traits on to her sisters: the domineering, controlling Katie and the weak-willed, crybaby Christina.
However, when their father, whom Rachel doesn't consider to be her biological father, falls ill, she assumes custody.
After his death, they must dispose of the New York apartment, and, for the first time in years, the sisters gather in the same room to discuss their troubles and have a serious argument.
5. 'One True Thing', 1998
IMDb Score: 6.9/10
Ellen, a journalist, leaves her career, relationships, and New York behind to care for her terminally ill mother while her father carries on as if nothing has happened.
Ellen has spent years distancing herself from her loving, accepting mother while idealizing her distant father and hoping for his approval. Now, she must see her parents as the fragile and vulnerable individuals they are.
This changes Ellen's understanding of family dynamics and her parents' roles in her development.
