My Thoughts on Vinterburg's 'Druk'

I had wanted to see Druk (Another Round in English) when it came out in cinemas but here we are almost two years later and I have just watched it. Directed by Denmark’s Thomas Vinterberg and starring renowned actor Mads Mikkelsen as lacklustre school teacher, Martin, this comedic drama is one of self-reflection, experimentation, realisation and transformation.

Unsatisfied with the mundanity of his life, history teacher Martin decides to try and raise and sustain his

blood alcohol content to 0.05% in line with a theory by psychiatrist Finn Skårderud that came up at a celebratory dinner. One aspect I immediately noticed, and which I truly admired, was the soft and supportive portrayal of male friendships that often lacks in television. In this particular scene I was expecting the dynamic to be different and my assumptions couldn’t have been ore wrong. The four men maintain a strong bond throughout the film and through them come some of the most heartfelt and genuine moments. It is not only the relationship between the male co-workers that touched me, but even more so through gym coach, Tommy, and one of the children on his football team, Specs. There is one very swift clip where Specs reaches out to hold Tommy’s hand before a game and it was one of my favourites in the film. There is a vulnerability about this scene that is truly moving. Not only did it show the importance of nurturing and compassionate male relationships but also the power that teachers have on shaping the lives of their students. How many of us remember our favourite teachers? I certainly do. This dynamic not only allowed for a deeper insight into Tommy’s character but also made his eventual character fall that much more upsetting.

Tommy’s story leads me on to the discussion of greed in the film. A commentary I think Vinterberg quite clearly makes in the film is on the innate gluttony of homosapiens. All of the teachers, in the name of the experiment, take their alcohol consumption too far and unsurprisingly it has its consequences. For some, it affects their home life and their career and for one, it results in an unrelenting battle with alcoholism which becomes his hamartia. The increasing decline in the men’s sobriety makes for some of the most comedic parts of the film but equally allows for much tragedy too. There are two distinct moments I remember; one where the three drunk teachers support Tommy from the side-lines at his football game and the other where they all listen to music and dance, intoxicated, while attempting to raise their blood-alcohol content to its maximum. Even when the men get to a point in the experiment where the results are overtly positive, they cannot help but want more. The way the experiment abruptly ends, I felt, was nicely justified and well-timed.

My favourite progression of the film comes through Martin’s character and his transformation of self-

acceptance and rejuvenation. At the start of the film he is uptight and stiff, unable to let loose at a birthday party. Yet, by the end of the film he celebrates the success of his students with his friends while drinking champagne and finally performing his jazz ballet routine. The performance builds with an increasing joy and liberation, which I believe is a nod to his psychological journey throughout the film. Martin ends the film as an unrestricted version of himself who his friends and wife recognise as the old him. He is no longer plagued with self-inflicted rules or rigidity, he has reconnected with his family and his wife and his self-esteem is renewed through inspired teaching. As well as this, the psychological journey and mutual tragedy that Martin and his friends confront through the experiment result in a deepened closeness.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this film and would recommend it to anyone that is willing to watch a film with subtitles. The actors and their characters are strong and multi-dimensional, the plot is interesting and it is a visually pleasant experience. I gave it an 8/10 on IMDb and it averages a 7.7/10 which I think is very fair. A very enjoyable watch.

Let me know if you have seen it and whether you liked it.