Der Rausch

Druk (or Another Round for the English title) by Thomas Vinterberg is a refreshing story about alcohol consumption, about the effects alcohol has on the mood of a person, on the changing behavior, positive and/or negative, someone has under influence. It's and interesting and entertaining story that will keep your attention. I recognized some scenes from personal experiences, like anyone will that likes to have a drink occasionaly or addictively. The whole cast did a great job playing their characters. I didn't know any of the actors besides Mads Mikkelsen, that in my humble opinion always delivers, but they all did a good job making this movie worth watching.

I went into this mostly looking for comedy. Well that was a mistake. It has some comedic parts, but it's most definitely a drama, and a heavy one at that. I mean look at that cover, it's great and looks like this film is going to be a good time. So, a little misleading perhaps, but a very well done film that emotionally drains you.

I'm convinced Mads Mikkelsen is one of the most talented actors of his generation. Admittedly, I believe this is the first I've watched with him speaking his native tongue. Which only adds to how good he is, because he's been great in everything else where he's not even speaking his first language. No surprise, he is very good in this.

The theory of maintaining a .05 BAC is interesting and I believe it does have positive benefits. However, as seen in the film, there is a fine line which can be easily crossed and lead to terrible tragedies. Moderation in everything is best practice I would argue.

TIFF 2020 09

Another Round

Four close friends who are all high school teachers decide to maintain a specific blood rate of alcohol in their bodies in order to become happier, function better at work and social life, and get along better with their lives. What happens in this process of controlled alcoholism testing and its results consist the main storyline of Another Round, a collaboration of Mads Mikkelsen and Thomas Vinterberg.

Each one of these four are explored individually for us to become acquainted with them and get to know their lives, their responsibilities and their problem whether at work or at home. But the film really shines in the scenes that all four are together, drinking, talking about their drinking thesis, laughing and sometimes, crying. This film is about alcohol consumption as much as midlife crisis, isolation, everyday repetition, loneliness, hopelessness and anhedonia. It's a film that resonates with all of us, it's about everyone in this world who struggles with serious problems in one's life and sees the solution in drinking regularly.

Martin is a jaded history teacher. His relationship with his wife and family has also reached a point of staleness and his whole life seems to be one big bore. Similarly, his three best friends, teachers at the same school, have also reached a flat period in their lives. When one of them reads a theory that says that having a moderate degree of alcohol in your system at all times is a way to loosen up, they give it a go (for research purposes, of course!). It seems to work and they start upping the alcohol level. But what's the limit and what are the consequences?

Great, interesting drama. Written and directed by Thomas Vinterberg who gave us such exceptional films as Festen / The Celebration (1998), Submarino (2010) and Jagten / The Hunt (2012) the plot is quite original and challenging. Covering a topic like excessive alcohol consumption and alcoholism and (on the surface) making it seem like a good thing is quite novel and sure to be confrontational and controversial, making for an intriguing journey.

Ultimately it has to more nuanced than simply being a pro-alcohol drama, otherwise it would be pretty dull and predictable (think of The Hangover without the comedy, i.e. The Hangover II & III). It is more faceted than that, and some interesting twists and themes do develop, but saying anything more would give away the plot.

Great performance by Mads Mikkelsen (but that's a given) and good supporting cast.

Druk / Another Round deservedly won Best International Feature Film at the 2021 Oscars and Vinterberg got a nomination for Best Director.

'Another Round (2020)' is a Danish film about four middle-aged teachers who, discontent with their stagnant lives, decide to experiment with maintaining a constant level of alcohol (0.05%) in their blood at all times. What starts out as intoxicating soon becomes dangerous, as their purely scientific trial threatens to devolve into all-out alcoholism. The different men handle their booze in different ways, though they all inevitably fly too close to the sun at one point or another. I've seen some accusations that the film condones substance abuse, but I don't think that's the case. Though it doesn't have an overt anti-alcohol message, it makes sure to show both the good and the bad of its focal fluid and ultimately advocates for moderation above all else. Plus, its teenage characters are supposed to be either seventeen or eighteen and the legal age for buying alcohol in Denmark is sixteen. Though I don't think it's a good idea for children to consume what's, essentially, poison, I think this flick is just honest to the society in which its characters and filmmakers live. Basically, this aspect is more of a societal and cultural issue than one specific to this feature. The film isn't a clear-cut morality tale, rather a relatively realistic examination of human emotion in all its imperfect glory. It depicts happiness, sadness, complacency, resentment, enjoyment and anxiety; it runs the gamut of emotion, both in what it depicts and it what it elicits, to craft an unbiased portrait of its subjects that resonates on a surprisingly deep level. Its bittersweet final scene, which mixes melancholy with jubilation in a bizarrely touching way, is a microcosm of its overall nuance. The movie is a touch slow in its second act, but it's typically an entertaining and engaging experience. Its performances are remarkable, too. It's as often funny as it is heartbreaking. Generally, it feels like a grounded and honest experience that manages to be life-affirming without being close to saccharine. It isn't happy, so to speak, just truthful. Truth can be beautiful. 7/10.