Another Round

Four Danish friends, teachers in the same high school who feel mired in banality, test a theory that staying in a state between inebriation and sobriety is the road to better personal and professional performance. This is the premise of Thomas Vinterberg's Another Round, nominated in Best International Feature Film and Best Director Oscar categories.

The wonderful quartet of middle-aged men is led by Martin (Mads Mikkelsen), the history tutor who has retreated into diffidence and distractedness to such a degree that his students challenge his laxness and his family ignores him. As the film begins, he speaks with quiet hesitation when he should be commanding attention. He's lost interest in his job, his students and his family and seldom sees his friends (played by Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang and Lars Ranthe).

All of that changes when they begin the experiment with inebriation and productivity, journaling their findings. Soon they each are turning corners and are breathing life into their students, awakening dormant minds and rediscovering passion. But, as these stories go, matters get out of hand and the drinking -- which increases in regularity, duration and potency -- leads to disaster.

Vinterberg has directed a marvelous film that is beautifully acted by the four principal players and several key featured players, especially Maria Bonnevie as Martin's dispirited wife, Anika.