Another Round | Raise a Glass, Face the Truth

This week on Forgotten Cinema, we’re cracking open Another Round (2020), the Danish drama-comedy from director Thomas Vinterberg that deserved far more attention than it ever got.

Both of us really enjoy this film. The performances are fantastic across the board, and Mads Mikkelsen delivers one of the most layered, vulnerable, quietly powerful performances of his career. The movie walks an incredibly tricky tonal line, blending humor, melancholy, and the messiness of middle age into something that feels honest without ever being heavy-handed.

A Buzz That Cuts Deep

We dig into how the film tackles alcohol, not as a punchline or a cautionary tale, but as a nuanced look at coping mechanisms, stalled lives, and the search for meaning when adulthood doesn’t turn out the way you expected. Its blend of comedy and introspection feels natural rather than manufactured, and its honesty carries more weight because the film never tries to preach.

That Ending

And yes, we absolutely love that ending. The dance scene that’s equal parts triumphant, heartbreaking, cathartic, and strangely uplifting. It’s the kind of cinematic moment that sticks with you long after the credits roll, and one of the reasons this film resonates with us.

Another Round: The One That Got Away

We also touch on why Another Round slipped past so many viewers. Despite awards recognition (including a well-earned Oscar), it arrived in the U.S. as a foreign-language film right in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, an unfortunate combination that kept it out of theaters and off many people’s radars.

Listen to our full discussion on Another Round, now available wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube.

A smart, moving, beautifully acted film that more people should see and one we’re thrilled to bring back into the conversation.