Another Round - Resonant of hope

“Druk is emotional and resonant of hope”

Another Round, Druk in Danish, directed by Thomas Vinterberg. There won’t be another second thought to list down this film as one of the remarkable films in recent times. Another round is something very emotional and energetic to its core. It is serious yet humorous in all ways. It surely expresses the subtle emotions in humans and easily justifies the causes. The story revolves around four friends, colleagues who work at a school, and their life meets circumstance after their decision to follow the theory of psychiatrist Finn Skårderud that a human is born with 0.05% alcohol in the body and hence consuming a certain level of alcohol will keep the human more creative and relaxed. They decided to consume the level of alcohol before work and the further story deals with how their lives change and to the end how they reclaim their lives with hope and happiness. Subsequently, Mads Mikkelsen makes his best performance through his subtle nature of expression which is much needed for a character like Martin. Mads Mikkelsen steals the entire show and indefinitely he moves the story scene to scene effortlessly. A particular scene where the character, Martin, outbursts himself after several worst incidents and Mikkelsen carries a very gradual graph over his actions and expressions. Mikkelsen suppresses huge emotions and expresses them in an unconventional way where we can feel the vibe touching down our hearts. In an equal way, the other characters support a whole lot of the story in a conventional way. The performance of Magnus Millang, Thomas Bo Larsen, and Lars Ranthe keeps the story awake and gives out a brilliant scope towards the perspective of the audience watching the movie as a life.  

Thomas Vinterberg does sublime work with an essential cast and crew, he stages every character in a row which gives an effect in every single frame. Thomas Vinterberg handles every expression in a subtle way and to end he just gives a bang on the right spot of the play which enormously helps the story to end in a most energetic way. The screenplay is fluid in its flow and it didn’t affect the minimal actions from the actors. Moreover, the screenplay supports the characters to play on their own terms unless the story reaches a high point in the film. Sturla Brandth Grøvlen’s cinematography plays a key role in elevating each frame in the film. His style of framing and lighting is very unique and technological. More close-ups give a convincing purpose of exposing the character’s emotions in a closer aspect and Sturla Brandth makes an aesthetic effect to the frames with a possible reality of not reaching out of the subject. Background score gives its essential effect to the film and more often the silence and actual ambience are used to fill the scene which relatively gives a connection for the audience while watching the film. The film was released in the year 2020 won the academy award for the best international film in the year 2021 and bagged other prestigious awards at the forums of BAFTA, European film awards and César Awards.  

Every one of us can easily connect to the film and travel with the highs and lows of the story where the characters tend to march in their own path of play. The climax is such a boom and for sure we can easily get attached to the end which will give us hope about our own lives in all the manner.