Another Round – A Fun Drunken Delight

Leave it do a Danish film to encourage the consumption of alcohol which might make for a good distraction for the troubled times many of us are currently living in. While that’s probably the takeaway after seeing any of the film’s promotional material, Another Round (or Druk) is a film that’s much more than that. There are many valid reasons for what it does and it is definitely not a film that glorifies alcohol or alcoholism. Thomas Vinterberg and Mads Mikkelsen’s next contribution after 2012’s The Hunt (not THAT one) is a hilarious at times comedy with moments of bleakness as the film explored beneath the surface. Meanwhile, as is the case with foreign language films, they won’t be for everyone but if anything, Mikkelsen will surely be a draw. Now it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone familiar with the actors that he does not disappoint here as he delivers another powerful performance perhaps unlike what many audiences are used to seeing (one could probably imagine where it goes).

Another Round follows a man named Martin (Mikkelsen) and his three friends Tommy (Larsen), Nikolaj (Millang), and Peter (Ranthe), four high school teachers who were experiencing what could be described as midlife crises that left them feeling lonely and inadequate. Feeling empowered by a theory from a Norwegian philosopher named Finn Skarderund that the moderate consumption of alcohol will solve their problems both professionally and personally by opening up their minds and boosting their creativities, they decided to test that theory together. From that point, the four friends attempted to maintain a constant level of inebriation throughout their workdays. To their credit, things were actually looking better for them as the voids they were feeling appeared to be filled. However, certain actions have consequences as the picture may not be quite as it seemed as their collective vision was impaired by their heightened states.

Watching these four men and the roller coaster that was their lives was compelling though everybody knows that the roller coaster has to eventually come down and it was that moment that proved to be their greatest test. While the question of whether or not they would get away with their actions was a big one (there were plenty of questionable moments amongst the moments of greatness), how those actions affected their lives and those of the people around him was the more compelling aspect. Suffice it to say that some handled it better than others. In the end, their experiences granted them some much needed perspective so it essentially was all about what they did with it which some took it in different directions than others. Besides the hilarious drunken shenanigans and the fun scenes of the four men fooling around, Another Round excels at those smaller, personal moments in terms of Martin’s relationship with his wife and family (though the film didn’t go as deep with the other characters). The only real problem with the film arguably was the lack of balance between the dramatic and comedic moments but that’s minor.

Ultimately, the best part of Another Round was its performances. Mikkelsen was once again great as Martin but his chemistry with Larsen, Millang, and Ranthe as Tommy, Nikolaj, and Peter respectively was also a standout. Mikkelsen’s charm worked wonders here in creating a very flawed yet rootable and relatable character, unlike that of the dramas we are used to seeing him in, that was simply looking for some fulfillment in his later life. Despite things getting out of hand, that desperation came from a place of good intentions. His efforts in those final moments was still powerful. Meanwhile, the other characters may not have been as deep but they were all so fun to watch together just being themselves.

At the end of the day, Another Round is a fun dramedy that will hopefully put Mikkelsen more on the map for audiences.

still courtesy of Mongrel Media

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.