Another Round (2020)

Director: Thomas Vinterberg
Stars: Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang
Runtime: 117 minutes

Synopsis: Four friends, all high school teachers, test a theory that they will improve their lives by maintaining a constant level of alcohol in their blood.

Verdict: With "The Hunt" being one of my favorite movies of the past decade, I was eager to see what Thomas Vinterberg and Mads Mikkelsen had in store for their second collaboration. The fact that it already is considered an awards frontrunner by many only made me more excited to check it out, but I'm sad to report that it didn't meet my expectations. Quite the opposite.

Now to be perfectly honest, there's nothing truly wrong with the movie itself. About a group of high school teachers who decide to make their lives more interesting by keeping a constant level of alcohol in their blood, it had a lot to say about the drinking culture of today, highlighting both its advantages and inconveniences. The entire cast does a pretty good job as well, with Mads Mikkelsen once again stealing the show with his subtle yet effective display of emotions.

But I hated how repetitive and obvious the movie was. Within the first 10 minutes of it, you already have a clear idea of where things are heading, and I never felt that Vinterberg did anything to prevent that from happening. He just went with the evident flow, even seeming lost at times by throwing in unnecessary or underdeveloped obstacles meant to partake in the characters' journies. But to me, they came off as borderline silly distractions with no real added value to the narrative. Vinterberg also clearly adopts a lighter atmosphere than the one used in "The Hunt" by including scenes with a comedic yet sad undertone to them. However, there's something about middle-aged people acting like teenagers that only makes me deeply cringe rather than what was intended by the director.

As I mentioned, I found "Another Round" to be more of a frustrating watch than a bad one. Part of me is convinced that a good film could've been crafted about the same topic and with the same characters, but sadly it wasn't the one I got. Nevertheless, a lot of people seem to be loving it and it will almost certainly become a title with significant buzz during awards season, so do give it a shot anyway, but I can't say that it'll be a movie I'll be rooting for when that time comes.

FINAL GRADE: 5/10