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Final Rating: 2/5
Another Round re-teams the Danish super duo director Thomas Vinterberg with star Mads Mikkelsen after the great success they had with The Hunt from 2012. Mikkelsen plays Martin, a married teacher who has lost his zeal for teaching, became detached from his wife and seemingly has no relationship with his two sons.
While out with three colleagues to celebrate the 40th birthday of Nikolaj (Magnus Millang) the discussion turns to the lull Martin is going through. One of the friends talks about how there is a theory that man was born with an alcohol deficiency and needs to drink enough to maintain a 0.05% BAC to be at their optimal self. Martin scoffs at the notion but when he realizes that he has nothing going for him in his life, he gives it a shot and is “drunk” at work. Immediate success occurs, his students are fully engaged with his history lessons and he has the confidence he once possessed as a much younger man. The other three friends hear about his experiment and decide they need to all commit to it and then write a scientific study about its effects.
We get to see the fun side alcohol can have on our lives from the lack of filters needed to seem more interesting, to more confidence in regards to romantic relations. Of course they go on a wild bender and while being confined indoors since March, the idea of partying with friends makes the viewer salivate with envy. Of course, a movie about being a functioning alcoholic can’t all be fun and games, and things get bad. Martin walks into a door frame at work, Nikolaj urinates in the bed he shares with his wife and Tommy just becomes a dressed wreck after showing up to a staff meeting far too intoxicated causing him to lose his job.
Most films would force the viewer to condemn their actions, instead Vinterberg becomes almost detached, documentarian style where we are forced to watch the good and the bad and can’t help but sympathize with them and the plan that has gone awry. There is no judgement from the camera, condemning the men and their sins, only patience and understanding about where things went wrong.
The film also examines the nature of handing down alcoholism generation by generation in a country like Denmark, which has such a relaxed attitude towards alcohol that teachers and students can discuss how much the teens drink a week and not turn it into an AA meeting. Mikkelsen turns in a stunning performance that shows many layers to a man confused about how he ended up where he is in life, while also showing the large character arc needed to make the story truly believable.
Another Round was seen during the 2020 Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival. Thank you to the festival for the press pass. Another Round currently has no wide North American release date.
