ONE FOR THE ROAD

Germany, 2023, 115 minutes, Colour.

Frederik Lau, Nora Tschirner, Burak Yigit, Godehard Giese.

Directed by Markus Goller.

No mistaking the meaning of this title. Some years ago, there was the Danish film on a similar theme, Another Round. Drinking. Alcohol. Excess.

Audiences may not want to spend two hours with an alcoholic, especially if he is rather unsympathetic. However, over the decades, there have been a number of significant films about alcoholism, alerting audiences, sometimes holding up a cinematic mirror for those with alcohol problems. We can remember The Lost Weekend, I’ll Cry Tomorrow, Days of Wine and Roses…

We are immediately introduced to Mark, at a bar, hail fellow well met, known to the barman, raucous, singing, and deciding to drive home. The police, denials, beer cans in the car, Mark claiming just to be parking the car before he walks home! Not believed – losing his license for three months and having to join a therapy group, called roadworthiness but about the drivers rather than their cars. So, the question, will he manage, will he give up the drink, will he get his license back?

We go immediately into one of the therapy sessions, a very earnest facilitator who later admits to past  alcohol problems, who challenges Mark whose only motivation for being there is to get his license back, but the facilitator, and a joke for the members and, perhaps, ourselves when we hear that his name is actually Dr Buhz! But the doctor keeps insisting that he is trying to elicit an interior motive, something that the driver will admit. We get glimpses of others in the session but the main character interacting with Mark is Helena, a primary school teacher, certainly with alcohol problems as we see.

Mark is in his midthirties, has a very strong reputation as projects manager on building sites, some scenes of him in action. He also has a close friend from school days, Nadim, who has settled down and tries to support Mark, but, very embarrassed, ignores him and then has to try to reconnect the bond. But Mark has made a bet with him that he will keep off the alcohol. And, the audience knows, no chance.

Mark does endure some days, 27, off the drink, even taking up swimming as a means of self-affirmation, succeeding in laps. But, there is torment, there is temptation, there is a longing.

And this is compounded by his growing association with Helena, their sharing stories, making no attempt to give up the drink. As they bond, and as Mark fails, their lives become even more raucous, Helena making a mess of her career at school, he growing neglectful on the building site, his bosses realising that they have covered for him for too long, demanding that he get himself in order.

While all this is something of an ordeal for Mark, perhaps it will be for some audiences as well, those who will find the film something of a mirror, others who have had to work with alcoholics, audiences who have to spend time with the film reflecting on the realities of the issues.

Frederick Lau gives a completely convincing performance as Mark, when sober, and, especially when drunk.

1. The title and expectations? Jovial title?
2. German perspective on alcoholism, therapy? Universal themes?
3. Audience attitude towards drinking, alcoholism, consequences, psychological, social, need for therapy, possibilities for giving up alcohol?
4. Mark and his story, seen at the bar, jovial, singing, drinking, in the car, the police, license and registration, the cans in the car, his excuses about parking, losing his license for three months?
5. Having to go to therapy, the theme of roadworthiness for the drivers, the facilitator and the joke on his name, the members of the therapy group, market’s motivation, to get his license back? The encounter with Helena? The focus on the other member of the group, his explanations, the stages alcoholism and reasons, his identifying with them all?
6. Mark and the sessions with the therapist, to find the inner reason for giving up alcohol, the facilitator and his own story, Marie films, Mark and his swimming, the rivalry in the pool with the older man, the boys asking him, his explanation of his moods?
7. Mark and his long friendship with now Dean, from school days, now Dean and his settling down, wife, house, the party in the celebration? Nadeem and his concern about Mark, talking with him, the bet (and the irony of being naked with his comment running around Berlin and the reality at the end)? Nadeem ignoring him, going out to meet him, Mark upset and abrupt, Dean and his attempts at continued support and friendship?
8. His story, respected project manager, seeing him at work, his friends, the issue of the narrow pipe, his drinking, late for an appointment, going out with Helena, on the roof, the flooding of the project, the confrontation by his boss, not able to overlook is drinking anymore, urging him for therapy and then reapplying?
9. Helena, primary school teacher, her drinking, her excuses, her friends, pretending to be pregnant, the response of the school, then the gossip, her being exposed? Her continued drinking, not making resolutions, meeting up with Mark, drinking with him, talking with him, the time for sexual relationship past, her overall effect on Mark?
10. 27 days, without drink, the effect, moods, craving, meeting a group of young men, the urging him to drink, his giving in, completely given over to their celebration, the consequences?
11. The session for therapy, the facilitator and his explanations of the different kinds of alcoholics? His sessions with Mark?
12. Mark, the final challenge, keeping to the program, the support of 19 – and the hopeful ending and iodine naked with his sign in the train?
13. The effect of an audience spending almost 2 hours with an alcoholic, his not being entirely sympathetic, his frustrating behaviour, for himself, for the audience? Therapy? Hope?
14. This kind of film holding of a mirror, especially for any alcoholics in the audience?