I’ve never seen a movie quite like Another Round. The premise of this Danish film is intriguing: a group of teachers hear a claim that humans’ natural blood alcohol level is .05% too low, so a slight state of inebriation would enable them to function better. The friends decide to conduct an experiment in order to determine the veracity of this claim, faithfully documenting their results to remind themselves that they’re doing this for the sake of science. We join them on this journey as they seek to reclaim the joy they’ve lost and find a new way to make meaning in their mundane days.
From almost the first moment he appears, the film’s excellent writing and directing clearly lets us know who Martin is. He and his wife hardly speak, his students essentially accuse him of being so boring that they can’t learn from him, and he refuses to join his friends for a drink at a birthday celebration. We get a glimpse of the man he used to be–a jazz ballet dancer who was passionate about learning and on the path to excel in his field–but see that he set aside those dreams for the sake of practicality.
So the transformation of the first act is an exhilarating ride. Mads Mikkelsen portrays Martin with captivating, intense charisma as the quiet history teacher comes alive. He becomes an engaging leader who, with the boost of a slight buzz, masterfully helps his students see the connections between their own experiences and the events they are studying. He rebuilds his relationship with his wife and children, finding a joy their family had been missing for years. His friend, a music teacher, finds that being intoxicated enables him to point the youth chorale toward the sound they’ve been looking for. Their rehearsal is one of the most stunningly beautiful scenes of the film, as a group of awkward, uncertain teenagers unite to produce an ethereal harmony. Despite some minor missteps, it seems like these friends have unlocked the secret to a happy and fulfilling life.
Though Another Round is billed as a comedy, it straddles the line between humor and tragedy as things begin to fall apart for the friends at its center. They decide to push their experiment to the limit, imbibing more and more alcohol and going from buzzed to barely functioning, unable to fulfill their obligations at work and at home. Three of the group’s members come to a sharp awakening when they wake up bruised and dazed after a night of binge drinking. They’re able to pull back–to see how close they are to ruining their lives and to step away. Their friend Tommy, though, is no longer conducting a scientific experiment. He’s become an alcoholic and can’t escape his dependence, which ultimately leads to his death.
So the magic answer turns out to be a false hope, and these friends must return to a sober life a little sadder and a little wiser. Another Round lets us draw our own conclusions about their choices, never completely condemning the use of alcohol as a tool for overcoming anxiety or fear. But it shows us how quickly intoxication can go from invigorating to debilitating, how something that once helped you see the beauty in life can begin to blind you again. The film quietly encourages us to think about the crutches we rely on and to ask if they are enabling us to engage with life more fully or if they are standing in the way.
And what about Martin? Will he retreat back into his shell, especially as he has lost some of the relationships that were once keeping him afloat? The film’s magical conclusion gives us hope for him. The newly-graduated students from their school parade down the street, celebrating success on their exams, and Martin has a choice. He can look on and smile, passively watching their joy as he would have at the beginning of the film, or he can join them. And he chooses to dance.