Psychological Analysis of the Movie "Another Round" (Druk)
This is an excellent choice for analysis. Thomas Vinterberg's "Another Round" is a masterful deconstruction of the human psyche, disguised as a comedy about drinking. On the surface, it is a story about an alcohol experiment, but deep down, it is an existential drama about the search for meaning, the loss of self, and the attempt to taste life again.
Here is a psychological breakdown of the film's key aspects:
1. Midlife Crisis and Existential Vacuum The main characters are textbook examples of men facing a midlife crisis.
- Stagnation: Martin (Mads Mikkelsen) is in a state of emotional numbness. He is "present but absent" — both in the classroom and at home.
- Loss of Self: They feel their best years are behind them. This is the state Viktor Frankl called the existential vacuum — a sense of inner emptiness and meaninglessness.
- Goal of the Experiment: Alcohol acts not as an end in itself, but as a desperate attempt to fill this void.
2. Psychological Defense: Rationalization Finn Skårderud's theory about the "0.5 permille deficit" is a brilliant example of the defense mechanism known as rationalization.
- The men cannot simply say, "I'm miserable, I want to get drunk." That admits weakness.
- Instead, they wrap their desire in the guise of a "scientific experiment." This gives them legitimate permission (from the inner "Parent") and alleviates guilt.
3. Alcohol as a Catalyst (Id vs. Superego) Viewed through Freud's psychoanalysis:
- Superego: The characters are constrained by social norms and expectations. They are stiff and anxious.
- Alcohol: It suppresses cortical control and unleashes the Id — the instinctive, childlike, creative part.
- Result: Under the influence, they regain the spontaneity lost in adulthood. However, this is merely "borrowing happiness from tomorrow."
4. Kierkegaard’s Philosophy: Anxiety and the Leap of Faith The film is deeply steeped in the philosophy of Søren Kierkegaard.
- Concept of Anxiety: Kierkegaard believed anxiety is the "dizziness of freedom." The heroes fear life and the necessity of making choices, not the alcohol.
- Self-Acceptance: A key theme is learning to accept oneself as fallible. Martin improves not because he is drunk, but because he allows himself to be imperfect and vulnerable.
5. Tommy’s Tragedy: The Shadow and Addiction Tommy serves as a reality check.
- While Martin uses the experience for transformation, Tommy uses alcohol for escapism.
- Lacking an "anchor," he falls into his Shadow. His fate illustrates the thin line between using a substance as a tool and addiction as a disease.
6. The Final Dance (Catharsis) The ending is pure catharsis.
- Martin's dance combines joy, grief, love, and life force (libido).
- The freeze-frame leap into the water is the Kierkegaardian "leap of faith." He chooses life with all its risks.
Conclusion
The problem was not a deficit of alcohol in the blood, but a deficit of passion for life. Alcohol was just a crutch; they had to walk the rest of the way themselves. The film teaches that happiness comes when we accept life's chaos and our own imperfections.