The Intoxicating Watch- Would you like "Another Round" ?

Q News

Bri Davis

Going through a mid-life crisis, not sure what to do?

Find a hobby, surround yourself with friends or see a therapist. 

Don’t pick up the bottle. 

Another Round (2020), directed by Thomas Vinterberg showcases the dangerous realities of using alcohol to solve your problems. The Danish film begins by focusing on four high school teachers who gather for dinner to celebrate Mads Mikkelsen (Martin) and his 40th birthday. 

During this dinner, Magnus Millang (Nikolaj) begins by talking about Norwegian philosopher and psychiatrist Finn Skårderud who thinks it’s sensible to drink. He claims, “Humans are born with a blood alcohol content that’s 0.05% too low.”

Everyone at the table looks at Nikolaj with peaked interest, except Martin. 

Immediately you begin to understand Martin isn’t like the other guys. The camera seems to follow him throughout the dinner as the men, laugh and joke. 

Something is off.

Martin is disconnected, staring into the abyss of nothingness. 

The waiters come around with a bottle of vodka, which they then pour into the four men's glasses. The camera focuses on the glasses as the chilled vodka is poured a quarter of the way like a crisp glass of water hitting the tall glasses. 

From there the men pick up the glasses to toast to this newfound idea Nikolaj has explained, except Martin. 

The only thing he’s had to drink tonight is a soda with a lemon. 

“Martin, come on,” says Lars Ranthe (Peter). “Russia was built by people who drink vodka and drive.”

It appears to be a sad case of peer pressure as Martin picks up the glass puts it to his lips and takes the smallest sip of vodka before setting the glass back down, quickly taking a sip of his soda.

From there, the snowball begins. 

One drink turns into two, three and then the camera settles on Martin, tears forming in his sad-looking eyes. The men look concerned as they stare at their friend from across the table. 

“What’s going on Martin,” says Peter. 

Martin responds, “I don’t do much. I don’t see many people.” 

It’s as if during the entire course of the dinner he had been reflecting on his life to only realize that he wasn’t happy with the way it was playing out. 

It was this realization that made the men want to test the theory of Finn Skårderud. 

There was nothing to lose, so they thought. 

However, as the movie unfolds this would soon show a fatal decision. 

Vinterberg eloquently showcases the four men’s lives as they go through the ups and downs of drinking.

Martin, who once seemed to live his life on autopilot, now appears vibrant and ready to take on the day. He has reconnected with his wife and sons and has become a more involved teacher for his students. 

Peter is no longer sitting back idly watching his classroom. Instead, he seems to connect more with his students and his classroom. 

Nikolaj and his wife were able to rekindle the spark in their relationship. 

Tommy, played by Thomas Bo Larsen, has become more energetic, spending more time connecting with the young soccer team he has taken on.

However, everything is not what it seems. 

With the highs must come the lows. 

As the movie continues to display the four friends' downward spiral, the director does a great job of using the camera to show the unsettledness unfolding before the viewer's eyes. The once-still camera now shakes each time the men pick up a drink. The once vibrant lighting has become a moody almost black and white color. 

This alludes to the fact that something bad is coming, but one can't say for certain when.

By increasing the amount of alcohol they consume and pushing their bodies' limits, the four men expose themselves to the harsh reality of alcoholism. Their social lives take a hit, the relationships they have with their families and even the relationships they have with themselves.

Will everyone make it out of this spiral? 

Title: Another Round

Length: 1hour, 56 minutes

Language: Danish (English subtitles)

Rating: 18+

Free Streaming Services: Tubi, Plex and Roku

Other Streaming Services: Amazon Prime Video (Subscription), YouTube ($2.99), Apple TV ($3.99)

Why you should visit HPU's fine-dining restaurant "Alo"

If you’ve been looking for a place to have a great meal, catch up with friends, or simply take yourself on a solo date, for nothing but a magic meal swipe. 

You should head to Alo.

"Alo" is Latin meaning, to develop, foster and nourish. It is High Point University's second fine dining restaurant and Life Skills learning lab. Alo looks to introduce students to international flavors, customs and cuisines. Each month is a different country where students have the option of choosing an appetizer, an entree and a dessert from that country (alongside the regular menu that doesn’t change). 

Although I have been to Alo countless times with friends since it opened in 2021. 

Last Friday, April 5, I got to experience Alo differently for the first time, I went by myself. 

Before I arrived for my 5:45 P.M. dinner I received a confirmation call from Alo’s front desk confirming my reservation. Of course, I responded with an ecstatic yes and the woman on the other end said, “We look forward to you dining with us.” 

As I arrived at The Jana and Ken Kahn Hotel (where Alo is located) I was greeted by a friendly face who welcomed me for dinner and pointed me in the direction of either the stairs or the elevator- whichever was more convenient for me. 

I chose to take the spiral red steps up to the restaurant that sits on the second floor.

The restaurant can be seen through two glass doors that open up to the gorgeous Mediterranean-style fine dining restaurant. All around are white tablecloth tables with shiny silverware and see-through drinking glasses resting upon them. 

Once greeted by the hostess who asks your name and then escorts you to your seat you are immediately welcomed by your waiter. During this encounter, I was asked if this was the first time I had been to Alo (which it wasn’t but if it is for you they will tell you a little bit about the restaurant and what to expect during your time there) and if I would like anything else to drink besides water. 

I decided to order a hot latte while I overlooked the menu. 

Once the waiter came back with my latte he asked if I needed any more time to browse the menu or if I was ready to order. 

I was ready, so I ordered the burrata to start along with the chicken tortellini pasta and to finish my meal I got the baklava, off of this month’s menu which was Greece.

As I sat there, sipping on my warm, vanilla latte, listening to the crackling of the fireplace behind me, I took a moment to soak in the serene feeling I had just being there. It was the first time I had ever gone to a sit-down restaurant by myself with only a book to keep me entertained. (Alo has a no-phones policy which I like because it helps you stay in the moment) 

My waiter returned with a plate of different kinds of bread and butter while I waited for my appetizer to come out. Every so often my waiter would return to check in on me and see if I needed anything or if he could take my plate. 

The bread and butter was probably what you could expect at any other restaurant, there’s nothing really special about it, but to offer bread and butter at all is a nice gesture. 

Finally, my burrata appetizer arrived. It was delicious, containing fresh mozzarella and tomatoes with a balsamic and pesto drizzle on top of it. It was just enough food to keep me lightly refreshed before my big entree came out. 

After about 15 minutes or so, my waiter appeared again, this time with my entrée in hand. I will say, that I was immediately a little disappointed with the small portion of food in front of me. (I have noticed that when you attend Alo with bigger groups of people, the sizes tend to be bigger). 

Nonetheless, I dug into my tortellini with chicken, which contained a fresh pesto sauce on top of it. It definitely could have used more salt and seasoning on the chicken, but it was easy to cut into and had a char-grilled taste. As for the pasta, it was nothing special. I think that the dish needed more of a sauce to help offset the chicken that lacked seasoning, but it didn’t bother me too much as I cleaned my plate.

Lastly, it was time to enjoy this month’s special dessert, the baklava. It was a nice and flaky phyllo dough filled with the decadent taste of pistachio and different nuts accompanied by a pistachio gelato, my true favorite dish of the night. 

Unlike other restaurants, you don’t have to wait for a check as you have already paid (magic meal swipe). So, once you are ready to go, you can get up and go about your day.

All in all, I would certainly go back to Alo by myself or with a group of friends. You can’t miss the opportunity to have a three-course meal alongside your friends for free. Of course, there are things that you could complain about such as the small portion sizes, the lack of seasoning on some dishes, or even the no-phone policy, but let’s be real, that’s an HPU privilege problem, not a real issue.

(If you’re looking to get a dinner reservation as a student or someone in the community contact alo@highpoint.edu or (336) 841-2960). For those in the community looking to get a seat, it is $60. Hours of Operation: Tues- Sun 4:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.)