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)
No comments:
Post a Comment