Hollywood has a long tradition of remaking or adapting original works for the big screen, and sometimes the results are truly exceptional. However, I don’t believe that will be the case with Mads Mikkelsen’s 2020 Oscar-winning comedy-drama Another Round (Best International Feature Film, 2021), originally titled Druk in Danish.
The film is remarkable on many levels, not just because of the story it tells on screen, but also because of the personal, emotional story behind its making. That’s why I believe Chris Rock, who is reportedly in talks to direct the English remake, is not the right choice to lead this project.
Another Round is a masterpiece rooted in grief and culture
Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round is far more than a film about drinking, it’s a deeply personal, culturally nuanced exploration of loss, middle age, and existential yearning.
Rooted in Danish drinking traditions, the story follows four teachers who experiment with maintaining a constant blood alcohol level to improve their lives. What unfolds is a bittersweet meditation on joy, regret, and human frailty.
But behind the film’s buoyant surface lies a tragic reality. The film was based on Vinterberg’s play. However, it was his daughter, Ida Vinterberg, who inspired him to adapt it into a movie
Unfortunately, Vinterberg lost his daughter just days into filming. Her sudden passing transformed the project into a tribute, imbuing it with a poignant emotional undercurrent that can’t be replicated.
Every moment, especially the final, cathartic dance by Mads Mikkelsen, feels like both a celebration and a farewell. To attempt a remake of this film is not simply to adapt a script, but to reinterpret a wound, a culture, and a tone that are incredibly specific.
Why Chris Rock is a mismatch for adapting Another Round?
Four years after the film’s release, which won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, Chris Rock was revealed to be the director of the Another Round remake ( via Deadline ).
While Chris Rock is a talented comedian and a sharp cultural commentator, his directorial track record doesn’t inspire confidence for a film as layered and restrained as Another Round.
His past work, like Head of State or Top Five, leans heavily on broad comedy and satirical punch. However, it lacks the tonal precision and emotional subtlety needed to handle a story rooted in grief, cultural introspection, and existential crisis.
Another Round is not a typical character drama. It walks a delicate line between euphoria and despair, with moments of quiet devastation hidden beneath bursts of humor and camaraderie. The original succeeds because it never tells the audience what to feel. It shows, it hints, and it lets emotion simmer.
Rock’s style, by contrast, tends to go big, with big laughs, big performances, and big commentary. That approach risks flattening the nuance and turning a reflective narrative into something loud and literal.
More than that, the story requires a deep understanding of emotional restraint. Rock has talent, no doubt, but not every great performer makes a great fit for every kind of story. In this case, the material demands a more delicate hand.
Another Round remake needs to be handled with care
Adapting Another Round for Hollywood is more than just swapping Copenhagen for Chicago. It’s an intricate task that risks diluting what made the original so profound. The film’s foundation lies in Denmark’s unique relationship with alcohol. A culture where drinking is socially ingrained, normalized, and rarely moralized. That cultural backdrop is essential to understanding the characters’ choices and the film’s tone.
Moreover, the original embraces ambiguity. It doesn’t spoon-feed redemption or punishment. Instead, it asks viewers to sit with contradictions: joy and sorrow, success and failure, life and death.
Hollywood remakes, especially those from major studios, often default to clear arcs and tidy resolutions. That narrative instinct could smother the messy, human beauty that defines Another Round.
While remakes are often inevitable in Hollywood, the right director can make all the difference. Instead of Chris Rock, someone like Martin Scorsese could be perfect for the remake.
Scorsese’s work on the Oscar-winning film, The Departed, is a prime example. A Hollywood reimagining of the Hong Kong thriller Infernal Affairs that didn’t just translate the original but transformed it with cultural relevance, psychological depth, and a distinctive cinematic voice.
If Another Round must be remade, it deserves a filmmaker with that level of vision, someone capable of honoring the emotional core while thoughtfully adapting it to a new cultural context. It’s not just about retelling the story; it’s about understanding its soul.
The remake needs a director who can balance humor with heartbreak, restraint with expression, and introspection with entertainment. If Hollywood insists on revisiting it, the least it can do is put it in the hands of someone who knows how to handle it.
Another Round is now available to watch on Mubi in the USA.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
