Un altro giro

After giving the most emotional and heartbreaking Oscar speech of the recent awards, Thomas Vinterberg's International Feature winner is now in UK cinemas. "Druk" (Danish for "Binge Drinking") is in the Danish language with subtitles: but don't let that put you off.

Positives:

• Mads Mikkelsen delivers a stunning performance. He really delivers the goods. He was nominated for a BAFTA for the role but missed out on the Oscar nomination. This feels unjust. I would have personally swapped out Steven Yeun for this performance by Mads.

• Thomas Vinterberg was justly nominated for Best Director at both the BAFTAs and the Oscars. The movie never lacks momentum from beginning to end. I was thoroughly entertained.

• It's quite unusual to see a 'buddy movie' concerning a group of men that's not a cop film. My wife described it as a '"chick-flick for blokes". I guess you need to go to "The Hangover" films to find an equivalent. (That of course also centres around alcohol. Are we really that shallow?!)

Negatives:

• Up until a "church scene", I thought the story was well-structured and coherent. But I'm not quite sure what message the finale of the movie was trying to send. Yes, it's fun and full of energy. And Mikkelsen's dancing is both bizarre and entertaining. But given all that's gone before, is it a "what the hell, life is for living and alcohol is part of that" statement? I was unsure.

Summary Thoughts on "Another Round": The movie is dedicated to "Ada" - Vinterberg's daughter, who was supposed to be acting in the film but tragically died in a car crash just four days into shooting. (Hence his emotional Oscar acceptance). The fact he managed to finish the movie at all is amazing. But the fact it's so good is a great memorial to her.

It's billed as a "comedy drama" but, although there are comic moments, it leans heavily on the "drama". The Scandinavians in general tend to drink as much, if not more, than the British do. So this is a reminder of both the benefits and risks of the evil drink.

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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.

Same case.

The movie was extremely powerful for me. Also, for what it's worth, I think it wasn't about alcohol. It was more about life and how small change can cause greater consequences - good and bad alike - and how one should learn to initiate and control the change in order to have a go at serenity.

I think watching it gave me a feeling I have not had in ages. A feeling of guilt and hope together. Well, if that's not something, I don't know what is. Do yourself a favor and watch it.

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.