The graduating class celebrated by making such drunken fools of themselves, the high school board contemplated enacting a zero-alcohol policy. Unfortunately, the ban wouldn’t pertain to four faculty members with a theory they’re looking to put to the test: if people are indeed born with a blood alcohol content that’s 0.05% too low, wouldn’t a couple of belts a day improve anyone’s job performance?. Their test subject is Martin (Mads Mikkelsen), the group’s designated driver and the only one at the birthday party where the plan is concocted who eschews cocktails. That is, until his three colleagues pressure him into hoisting a few. For years, Martin has been teaching in a joyless fog, imparting almost as much misinformation as fact. The warm buzz and sudden burst of enthusiasm associated with booze convince him that the more he drinks, the better he workds — and off we go. These four are all well-respected educators; surely one of them realizes the dire consequences that would result from such an experiment? In case their alcoholic states aren’t obvious, director Thomas Vinterberg (The Celebration, The Hunt) decides to underscore their unsobriety by going hand-held. In the end, someone will die, just not the one character that might move this in the opposite direction of “Just Say No!” And if ever a film didn’t warrant a happy ending, it’s this. If Vinterberg’s point is that alcoholism is an equal opportunity disease that doesn’t recognize class or socioeconomic lines, did we really need another feature-length PSA to wake us up? Good performances, but when all is said and done, who cares? (2020) — Scott Marks
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