Drunk: A poem to alcohol

It is told here that a group of middle-aged men begin to feel stagnant in their lives. The protagonist of our story is Martín, a gentrified guy who works as a history teacher in a school and shows an emotional crisis that affects his family, work and social life. One good night, Martín, along with his three best friends, agree to do an experiment: to maintain a low blood alcohol level throughout the day to try to cope with their lives, while they write down insights in a pseudoscientific journal. The argument (and the experiment) of interesting magnitudes, occurs before a theory that affirms that the human being has less percentage of alcohol in the blood than it should to have a completely satisfactory life with this premise begins Drunk, more than a story of a drunkenness, our true protagonist is alcohol. it is a poem to alcohol

And then the fun begins that, among others, supports the theory that a little alcohol makes life lighter. Immediately everything seems to improve. Martin connects with his very young students, rediscovers his interest in teaching, and experiences a persistent renewal in his family life. And he is the same with his friends (who also work at school). The music teacher seems to find better inspiration and motivation, and the one who works as a physical education teacher with some students who seem so small and insignificant begins to feel effervescent. But the urge to maintain the good vibes and the perfect balance cannot stop, and as naturally happens with any other vice, abusing it leads to very harsh consequences. The friends decide to go one step further, which begins to complicate their lives even more and, of course, to clarify that series of problems that they had tried not to look at, showing that alcoholism alone is not exactly the origin of the problem, it is, for sure, the accelerator to recognize it and intensify it.

Fortunately, the film does not resolve to become educational or take sides with only one side of the situation. Alcohol abuse and the carefree gaze of drinkers is the perfect excuse to talk about the deep emotions of a group of mediocre men who do not know how to deal with their lives and who are concerned, among others, if they now look like boring men. Martin's boredom even leads him to refuse the drink, until he is quickly convinced with the unlikely theory, and after shedding tears in what is perhaps one of Drunk's best and most emotional scenes. A scene in which the man recognizes the emptiness in which he is immersed and his heterosexual friends comfort him, immediately drawing the panorama behind all the funny excess that they chronicle.

It is not very usual to find cinematographic proposals that address the male crisis and failure with such cynicism, depth and shock, which is not limited exclusively to middle-aged protagonists. Vinterberg complements the account of these unfortunate men with other stories at crucial moments in life, such as the high school student who is tired of failing, and the little soccer player who at some point seems to find the moment of revenge at the hand of your physical education teacher.

Drunk, who also shines for his magnetic and very credible male cast, seems like a portentous proposal to me. It is a completely realistic story and only at its end dares to take a leap that is poetic, fanciful and illogical. Also hopelessly hopeful with his audience, who undoubtedly suffered so that he did not unleash an argument that would become conservative and punish the free use of alcohol. Sometimes you have to help yourself a little to enjoy life and thereby achieve a drunken honesty.