I didn't find this plot very original and more or less predictable. It's clear from the start that the friends alcoholic adventure will lead into disastrous consequences for some of them. But Vinterberg doesn't moralize, the viewer has to find all the answers for the ambivalent questions he raises himself. Why does one need alcohol in mass quantities in order to survive a life which would be simply unbearable without drinking?
For me the answer was: Life is pretty much unbearable, with or without consuming alcohol. But if you drink you might have a bit more fun and intensity in the meantime. Mikkelsen's breathtaking outburst of joy in his final dance scene could as well stand for pure almost suicidal desperation.
For me the answer was: Life is pretty much unbearable, with or without consuming alcohol. But if you drink you might have a bit more fun and intensity in the meantime. Mikkelsen's breathtaking outburst of joy in his final dance scene could as well stand for pure almost suicidal desperation.