Another Round | Dir: Thomas Vinterberg | ★ ★ ★ ★ ½
This dark Danish film captures the spirit of the festive season. When four middle-aged teachers, who are all caught in middle-aged malaise, decide to liven up their lives with a social experiment of drinking regular amounts of alcohol to maintain a blood alcohol level of 0.05, the results are enlightening, entertaining and ultimately sobering.
History teacher Martin (Mads Mikkelsen), discovers renewed vitality that he brings into the classroom, into his marriage and into his interactions with his two children. Tommy (Thomas Bo Larsen) begins to take an interest in the youngsters in his soccer club with fantastic results. Music teacher Peter (Lars Ranthe) spurs his choir to greater heights and philosophy teacher Nikolaj (Magnus Millang) learns to tolerate his troublesome brood of children and give questionable advice to a struggling student.
Of course, such great results spur the men to increase their alcohol intake until vast amounts of alcohol are being consumed by all of them and this doesn’t necessarily result in better outcomes. Struggling with hangovers and turning up to work drunk are a couple of the consequences, but realisations about where their lives are at hit the hardest.
Each of the men is affected differently from the increase in alcohol consumption and watch carefully as the camera work becomes unsteady as each of the men tip towards the edge. The camera also loves Mads Mikkelsen who has made a name for himself in several American films after playing the baddie in Casino Royale. I wasn’t aware that before getting into acting, Mikkelson was a professional dancer. Without giving too much away, the final scene is some of the best drunk dancing that I’ve seen.
Another Round screens as part of the Perth Festival at UWA’s Somerville from Monday 28 December to Sunday 3 January. You can BYO picnic or buy something at the venue when. Book tickets at perthfestival.com.au
Lezly Herbert
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