Another Round

WOW. I think this film is best experienced without knowing anything, so if this rating and a glowing recommendation from yours truly is enough to check this film out, stop here. If you need more convincing, read on. Mads Mikkelsen is amazing as a man searching for an escape from the dullness of his day to day life, and his chemistry with the three other "test subjects" is a major part of the films charm. All four of the teachers involved give great performances, but Mikkelsen stands out due to the full arc his character receives. His performance is one that is the perfect mix of subtlety and "show acting", with the quieter moments in the film hitting just as hard as the pure, unhinged glee of the final five minutes. However, the performances, while great, are not what made this film stick out to me. The way the film portrays alcoholism struck me as surprising and daring. It doesn't use gimmicky techniques or large, emotional monologues to portray just how "bad" alcohol is. The film wisely steps back and observes the actions instead of making judgments, making the tale not one of morality, and letting the character's actions paint the picture of alcohol use and its negative . Along with this, it gives the viewer an accurate sense of why a character like Martin would be seduced to enter an experiment like this. This portrayal allows viewers, like myself, who may not have personal experience with the subject matter to still be emotionally connected to the four main characters. I am very glad that I checked this one out, and I encourage many of my followers to seek this one out and view it.