The Hunt’s Thomas Vinterberg and Mads Mikkelsen reteam for another thought-provoking drama.
(This review is part of our coverage of the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival.)
Thomas Vinterberg’s latest drama, Another Round, opens with a familiar buzz for anyone who has indulged in one too many drinks. Young and carefree, a group of Danish high school seniors play a lively lakeside drinking game and later cause mischief during a night on the town. This raucous display of drunken behavior foreshadows Another Round’s probing exploration of alcohol’s role in our lives. But the kids aren’t the only ones getting drunk, as Vinterberg shifts the focus to a more meaningful adult perspective.
Indeed, Another Round is decidedly not an outrageous teen comedy. Instead, it’s the story of Martin (Mads Mikkelsen) a middle-aged man juggling his responsibilities as a history teacher, husband, and father. Formerly excelling in all three roles, he gets a wake-up call one day when his students stage an intervention due to his lacklustre teaching. Meanwhile, he begins to realize that his marriage has lost its spark.
In essence, he is going through a midlife crisis and wants to remedy the situation. As he struggles to find solutions, a bizarre one arises when he attends a 40th birthday dinner with three other colleagues. One of them proposes an experiment, based on a philosopher’s hypothesis that humans naturally have a deficit of 0.05% in their blood alcohol level. The belief is that, if they drink to maintain this minimum level, their social and professional lives will be greatly improved.
After some hesitation, Martin agrees to the pact, which includes a stipulation that they cannot drink after 8 p.m. or on weekends. Miraculously, it works, as all four friends feel reinvigorated within their daily lives. But things soon get complicated when they decide to raise the stakes by gradually increasing their target blood alcohol level.
You’ve probably heard the term “food porn” but have you heard of “drink porn”? That’s what Vinterberg accomplishes here, putting us into the men’s intoxicated headspace from the pivotal birthday dinner scene. As they partake in an exquisite array of liquid refreshment, the visuals and sound effects are truly enticing. From the subtle fizzing of the champagne, to the vibrant color of the draught beer, to the vivid descriptions of the aged wines, it’s enough to make a non-drinker want to risk it all.
And that’s what happens to former teetotaller Martin, embarking on a new lifestyle that yields fascinating character development. In another fruitful actor-director collaboration Mikkelsen and Vinterberg, that personal growth is remarkably conveyed. The newfound enthusiasm in the classroom is reminiscent of beloved cinematic teachers like Dead Poets Society’s John Keating, while his anxieties recall Mikkelsen’s own tormented work in The Hunt.
Further enhancing Mikkelsen’s tour de performance is the beautifully nuanced filmmaking throughout. Cinematographer Sturla Brandth Grøvlen favors shadows and darkness in the more vulnerable moments. Meanwhile, the screenplay gets richer by the minute, as the emotional roller coaster of their alcohol-induced haze ironically helps the men see themselves more clearly.
Indeed, though Another Round is primarily an individual character study, the plot seamlessly incorporates the rest of the main cast. And Thomas Bo Larsen, Lars Ranthe and Magnus Millang are terrific as they portray how their character’s lives are uniquely affected. Numerous memorable scenes show both the positive and negative impact of the men’s changing behavior and outlook on themselves and the people around them.
Overall, Vinterberg strikes a pitch-perfect tonal balance between the euphoria and misery of alcoholism, therefore avoiding easy moralizations. Sprinkled with quotes from Danish philosopher Søren Aabye Kierkegaard, he also grounds the film in thoughtful existentialism. At once sobering and liberating, Another Round is a sincere reflection on aging, friendship, and life itself.
Another Round Trailer:
Read next: The Spool's Best New Releases
Streaming guides
The Best Live TV Streaming Services With Free Trial
The praises of live TV streaming services don’t need to be further sung. By now, we all know that compared to clunky, commitment-heavy cable, live TV is cheaper and much easier to manage. But just in case you’re still on the fence about jumping over to the other side, or if you’re just unhappy with ... The Best Live TV Streaming Services With Free Trial
How to Watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3
Season 3 of the hotly anticipated Power spin-off, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, is arriving on Starz soon, so you know what that means: it’s the ’90s again in The Southside, and we’re back with the Thomas family as they navigate the ins and outs of the criminal underworld they’re helping build. Mekai Curtis is ... How to Watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3
How to Watch Doctor Who: 60th Anniversary Specials
Ladies and gentlemen, we’re so back! To celebrate Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary, the BBC is producing a three-episode special starring none other than the Tenth/Fourteenth Doctor himself, David Tennant. And to the supreme delight of fans (that would be me, dear reader), the Doctor will be joined by old-time companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) and ... How to Watch Doctor Who: 60th Anniversary Specials
Which Netflix Country Has Each Movie of The Hunger Games?
For whatever reason, The Hunger Games series isn’t available in the same countries around the world. You’ll find the first and second (aka the best) installments in Hong Kong, for instance, but not the third and fourth. It’s a frustrating dilemma, especially if you don’t even have a single entry in your region, which is ... Which Netflix Country Has Each Movie of The Hunger Games?
How to watch Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin Season 2
After a years-long hiatus, scientist and explorer Albert Lin is coming back to National Geographic with a fresh new season of Lost Cities, renamed “Lost Cities Revealed.” In the past, Lin, who is probably the closest we’ll ever get to a real-life Indiana Jones, has traveled everywhere from the ancient Knights Templar in Israel to ... How to watch Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin Season 2
How to Watch Paramount Network With a Free Trial
To date, Paramount Network has only two original shows on air right now: Yellowstone and Bar Rescue. The network seems to have its hands full with on-demand streaming service Paramount+, which is constantly stacked with a fresh supply of new shows. But Yellowstone and Bar Rescue are so sturdy and expansive that the network doesn’t ... How to Watch Paramount Network With a Free Trial
How to Watch WE TV With a Free Trial
Previously “Women’s Entertainment,” We TV has since rebranded to accurately reflect its name and be a more inclusive lifestyle channel. It’s home to addictive reality gems like Bold and Bougie, Bridezillas, Marriage Boot Camp, and The Untold Stories of Hip Hop. And when it’s not airing original titles, it has on syndicated shows like 9-1-1, ... How to Watch WE TV With a Free Trial
How to Watch FX With a Free Trial
You’d be hard-pressed to find a bad show airing on FX. The channel has made a name for itself as a bastion of high-brow TV, along with HBO and AMC. It’s produced shows like Atlanta, Fargo, The Americans, Archer, and more recently, Shogun. But because it’s owned by Disney, it still airs several blockbusters in ... How to Watch FX With a Free Trial
How to Watch A&E With A Free Trial
If you’re a fan of true crime and insider docu-shows like The First 48 and Court Cam, then you’re probably already familiar with A&E. The cable channel is home to other reality TV gems like Hoarders, Duck Dynasty, and Storage Wars (they’ve moved on to spin-offs like Road Wars, Customer Wars, and Prison Wars now). ... How to Watch A&E With A Free Trial
How to Watch Unimás With a Free Trial
As the sister channel of the much bigger Univision, Unimás is home to popular Spanish-language telenovelas and talk shows (yes, including El Gordo y La Flaca), as well as a couple of sports events and programs. Most notably, however, Unimás also operates a couple of station affiliates around the country, so it also reports local ... How to Watch Unimás With a Free Trial
How to Watch TNT With A Free Trial
For many sports fans, TNT is a non-negotiable. It broadcasts NBA, MLB, NHL, college basketball, and All Elite Wrestling matches. And, as a bonus, it also has reruns of shows like Supernatural, Charmed, and NCIS, as well as films like The Avengers, Dune, and Justice League. But while TNT used to be a cable staple, ... How to Watch TNT With A Free Trial