Another Round
Drama
Problem-Solving with Pints: A TIFF Review of ‘Another Round’
September 19, 2020Ben MK
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Alcoholism and mid-life crises typically go hand in hand in film, but in Thomas Vinterberg's latest we see the relationship unfold like never before. That's because while the characters in these movies are typically desperate to quit drinking after having their lives ruined by their alcohol abuse, the characters in Another Round are trying to accomplish the exact opposite. The story revolves around Martin (Mads Mikkelsen), a middle-aged high school teacher who's less than satisfied with what his life has become. A father to two sons and a husband to an emotionally and sexually distant wife (Maria Bonnevie), Martin worries that he's become too boring and too complacent about his marriage and his job. Confessing his woes to his friends and fellow teachers, Nikolaj (Magnus Millang), Tommy (Thomas Bo Larsen) and Peter (Lars Ranthe), they hit upon a crazy idea — that what they all need is a little more alcohol in their system to improve both their social and their professional performance. But when they start testing out that hypothesis, they end up taking it too far, eventually wreaking havoc on their lives both at home and on the job. It's subject matter that could easily be interpreted either too humorously or too seriously, but under Vinterberg's skillful direction Another Round deftly balances both the comic and the dramatic elements of these men's mid-life crises. Make no mistake, however, for the film's ultimate message is clear — alcohol may provide a respite, but you can't chase away your problems with a pint. |
Another Round screens under the Special Presentations programme at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival. Its runtime is 1 hr. 56 min.
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