Movie #2148 "Another Round" (Hulu, netflix dvd, Amazon ($2.99) This won the oscar last weekend for best International Film, and I wasn't rooting for it. I had seen Venterberg's previous international hit ("The Hunt") with the same people and liked it so well, I purchased it to have in my cabinet up at the lake to show to others some day. This one --- not so much. Because disclaimer: Teachers and parents and who knows who else would not buy into this film at all. Why? because of the subject matter. And that the theme is covered up and not handled as well as I would have liked it to be handled. The subject is drinking ---- it's supposed to be a comedy, and parts of it are, but not the drinking. They are worn out teachers, tired of it all, and they read a scientific treatise about how everyone would perform better if they had a little bit of alcohol in their system. They use breathalyzers and try the experiment out --- and what do they find out? it is true. The main guy gets closer to his students by trading alcohol stories and using alcohol in his examples of historical figures they are studying. Another teacher/coach gets closer to his kids on the soccer field; The music teacher gets looser and more understanding of his pupils, as well. I knew while watching this that the obvious would happen. They would keep pushing the envelope to see where the stopping point should be --- and like predicted, one guy in particular has a big scene in a teachers' meeting when he passes out roaring drunk. Because of their drinking ability, the kids they have been teaching make it through their tests ---- of course, the teachers have to give up the drinking to keep their jobs and the end scene suggests by just that boost that they now enjoy life more --- the last scene is wonderful to watch because it shows pure freedom and happiness of the main character --- but it didn't make me forgive what I saw before. I didn't think the subject was handled well at all. They didn't learn enough as drunks, and I think too many people could see the film and see that it is a pro-alcohol film. One scene, in particular bothers me the most..... one of the teachers doing the experiment is proctoring a test, and he has learned that the student in front of him has test anxiety in the worst way. What does he do? He offers him a water bottle full of alcohol and suggests to him to use it to take the test. That's where the film stepped over the line to me. I am only writing this because if you agree, you needn't see the film because I don't think you will like it. I would give it a very weak 3, and say in all certainly that not everyone will accept this premise and therefore like the message in this film. This was, to me, a poor choice for the Oscar --- But it does have some good moments, and the lead is very strong!
"ANOTHER ROUND 1hour, 57 mins 2020 subtitles I would rate it R
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