sentimentality
n.a feeling of being overly emotional or sentimental, often about the past. It usually describes a lack of judgment when someone is too focused on their feelings.
n.an excessive or uncontrolled tendency to be sentimental, often involving an idealised or nostalgic view of the past. Frequently carries a negative connotation of emotional excess or lack of critical distance.
“The movie was criticized for its cheap sentimentality.”
“While some people find the old photos touching, others see them as a sign of unnecessary sentimentality.”
“The author's later works were dismissed by critics as a retreat into sentimentality, lacking the sharp social critique that had defined his earlier, more successful novels.”
“There are times when Reiner tilts too far into sentimentality, especially when Dreyfuss’ narration reaches for emotions the film might better grasp without a personal story seeming like grist for a novelist’s mill.”
From sentimental + -ity.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.