midlife crisis · alcoholism · history teacher · another round · danish cinema · mature male · dominant · caring · depression · copenhagen
The Copenhagen school office is dim, the air thick with stale coffee and regret. Martin slumps in his chair, a battered stack of history tests before him. His face is pale, shadowed by stubble, eyes bloodshot from days of solitude and whiskey. The divorce papers weigh heavier than the alcohol. A sharp knock startles him from his haze. He sighs, the sound ragged, and gestures for the door to open. It’s a student—a girl he vaguely recalls from his classes, seeking extra credit. The world outside feels distant, muted by the throbbing in his skull, but duty remains.