Oscar Winners (Ranked) (2021)
(Best International feature)

What an absolutely fantastic film. 

I genuinely couldn’t tell you for a single second why I’ve been delaying this film for so long. 
Every Vinterberg and Bo Larsen film I’ve seen has been rated over 4 1/2 ⭐️’s and I can’t get enough of Mads in serious roles if he was in every film ever you’d hear no complaints from me. 
And although I’ve heard so many great things about this film I’m actually going in blind unlike the rest of his films, so this should be even better 🤞 

And it really is incredible, it’s an absolutely compelling exploration of friendship, the human condition and complexities of life all framed within the context of alcohol consumption and it’s impact on both personal and professional life. 

I was genuinely grinning with happiness throughout, it does such a great job at highlighting the initial exhilaration of their experiment which then gradually gives way to deeper issues of dependency and existential reflection. 
just one of the films most striking features is the way it balances both humour and poignancy, there really was an ever looming sense of anxiety throughout mainly thanks to the nuanced role from Thomas Bo Larsen. 

The cinematography and direction of this film is absolutely masterful, both Thomas Vinterberg and Grøvlen really capture the vibrancy of of celebration built by an almost melancholic introspection. 
My favourite scene by far is when they’re prancing down the vibrant street after a night of drinking (The backdrop I’ve used) and it straight hard cuts into a dark gloomy hallway struggling to walk up stairs. Showing the juxtaposition of joyous scenes set against moments of despair reflecting the duality of man showcasing the fine line between excess and liberation. 

And I can’t do a review on this film and talk about that performance from Mads Mikkelsen because it’s nothing short of extraordinary. The transformation that he shows throughout the whole film is so subtle but so powerful as he searches for meaning and purpose in a world that just feels so monotonous. 
But it’s not just his performance that’s fantastic, what makes this film what it is is the friendship between all 4 of the characters. Their chemistry is just so authentic you can feel the mass amounts of camaraderie and warmth in their very first scene together making that eventual confrontation mean so much more. 

If you haven’t seen this I can’t recommend this enough. 

Rewatch