finally got around to seeing this, as i wanted to see it in the cinema, and was not disappointed. 

this was one of the most heartwarming films I’ve seen in recent times. i don’t think there has been another film, and i mean one that has come out recently, that has so perfectly conveyed the beauty and the tragedy of life so brilliantly with such thorough and intense depth. 

i loved this with all my heart.

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i’d say that, initially, its all about the importance of being true to who you are, of enjoying your life with everything you wish to enjoy it with. by this i mean: if you want to have fun, have fun, enjoy yourself and live life to its fullest while you’re still around. this is something many of us seem to overlook throughout much of our lives, as we’re constantly under this pressure of being or doing something we don’t wish to be, we forever have these ideas of life that we may want to make reality, yet there are responsibilities which restrain us from ever reaching the sort of idealised version of these dreams. i’d say that this in itself is a common tragedy of our age, where we are so caught up with life that we can’t seem to find the time to thoroughly enjoy ourselves or make the most of the time we do have. its a beautiful indication of how it is not just yourself who is feeling these things, its a film that includes all and makes everyone feel seen, no matter how dull they may feel their lives may be, everyone is worthy of happiness.

however, and this is where i believe the social commentary comes in, there is a limit to the fun that one should have before they are completely lost to their own impulses. if we allow ourselves we fall do deep into self-appeasement, then we will gradually begin to block out all other’s that fill our lives, thinking only of ourselves and whenever our next tipple etc. may be. i said previously that it is those responsibilities that hold us back from enjoying ourselves, but that doesn’t mean that they can just be tossed to the side, it doesn’t mean that one shouldn’t enjoy them and cherish them with all the power and might they have, it just means that they should also allow themselves a life outside of this, reminding them of their size when put in perspective with this world. its important to realise that there is so much more to everything than what may initially be seemed, there will always be fun to have, always be parties to go to, but life must also be held dear. i believe that there is some sort of a commentary on the drinking culture of Denmark, which i won’t go too much into as i don’t particularly know about it myself, as there seems to be a lack of support for those who are struggling with actual addictions and other disorders, as they are merely meshed in with the rest of society as being heavy drinkers. that is all i had observed on that.

then finally there is this idea that enjoyment can sometimes mask what we may be pushing down deep beneath our surfaces, merely so that we can go about our days and get through. its something we may not realise, but its easy to realise, when taking a step back, that it is truly engrained within our instincts to search for a reprieve when we are feeling down. we wish to feel cosy, we want to eat our favourite comfort food, we just want to separate ourselves from everyone and watch films all day. some people’s coping mechanisms affect them on much greater levels than these ones, they can cause them to truly feel as though they are living in another world, so much so that, when they comedown from such highs, their hearts cannot bare to see, or to return to, what they had once lived within. 

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let me start by saying that this film came out at the perfect time… with the pandemic and all, i think we all needed a film on trying to find ourselves once again, or replacing sadness with a form of joy that all can enjoy. there was just something so beautiful about it and i think it was mainly because of the past year that i found this so wonderful - although that’s not to say i wouldn’t enjoy it anyway, it just amplified that. its one of those perfect alignments, one of those cinema moments that you will just never forget. it really brought tears to my eyes watching it.

this was actually my second film by Vinterburg, the first was The Celebration, which was, coincidentally, the very film that introduced me to the glories of world cinema beyond the overly acclaimed French cinema which i had seen as a small kid. there’s just something about the way he makes films which just brings out the heightened ends of the human condition, taking everything that is within us and truly showing a perfect representation of that on screen. so bloody beautiful.

the cinematography, i know i always go here, its just what i love to analyse the most beyond actual themes, was gorgeous. the way those restaurant scenes were filmed, in alignment with the writing of the film, to show the juxtaposition between beginning and ending. the warmth of the night, of new experiences, compared with the coldness of lost life, of an end to an era. it was wonderful how the camera took its perspective and used that stage to convey every little part that was needed perfectly. i actually found out while researching after seeing it that it was the same cinematographer as Victoria (the German film filmed in one take) and i don’t think anything made more sense than that final dance scene after i found this out. the way it was filmed was insane, paired with that impeccable editing, to create a beautiful portrait of joy, happiness, and fulfilment. it was as though we were finally watching true, unaltered joy reached for the first time by Martin.

and then last but not least, there’s the incredible acting from, and let me type out all their names in full - they deserve it: Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang, and Lars Ranthe. together these magnificent four created one of the best films of our modern age and ushered us perfectly into our, very bumpy, new decade. their performances had the perfect level of depth and distance as would be expected from these sorts of characters, representations of the common person. i had just felt so privileged to be able to watch them, in all their talent and might, perform these roles with a sort of mastery that we’d expect from such talented actors, but elevating it beyond what we could ever expect. the film would really not be the same without any one of them.

an amazing, beautiful, heartwarming film, and perfect for our times: Another Round.