spoiler alert! I enjoyed this film very much. Although my 5-month old daughter kept my mind off the little details and my wife all of a sudden remembered to tell me an interesting story while I was trying to have nice little movie time, I could still watch and understand it. I found it surprising and unexpected to see none but couple reviews on what I think deserves much more than that. The film revolves around a not so young, not too old either geography teacher named Sluzhkin, who just wants to live his life. Happenings are set against the gray, rusty, cold Russian scenery, with the Soviet era apartment buildings offering warmth inside their walls. As a recent employee at a local high school, Sluzhkin doesn't own much, nor is he the go-getter type. It seems that whatever career he had wished to connect his life with didn't get realized, and therefore he ended up doing anything that came across. He may not own much, but he has a lot – love for his wife and daughter. It's the kind of love where he expects close to nothing from his wife, except love I guess, Sluzhkin simply loves her. It is not a typical Russian family, although it has all it takes to make one, drinking "bread winner", a wife who thinks her husband was a big mistake and ready to cheat to mend that, a friend who shows up without prior notice and brings unwanted gifts and actually ends up messing around with the wife. Except in this story, the main character is not the archetype one usually anticipates in such settings. Sluzhkin never seems to be angry with her or show signs he might give up. Sluzhkin's character should be so sick and tired of it all that he is likely to commit suicide. Driven by such a notion I was sad it might happen. I thought it might be the climax director had in store for us. But again I thought it could've been too predictable. Something was missing. In this respect, Konstantin Khabenskiy is worth the mention. Perhaps, a non-post-soviet person does not so easily recognize his character, which might rob of particular subtlety with which he performs. You get the feeling that there could not have been a better actor to play this role. Latter statement is backed up at least twice in the film (for me). No decent Russian film makes do without booze. This film is not a complete exception. Usually alcohol is behind most of the troubles, but here it is rather like a smoking habit. Sluzhkin gets drunk and it is something he seems to enjoy most. It is also a way to escape from having to do certain things. He stalks his colleague in search of some attention he doesn't receive and when he does he turns it away by giving way to the drink. Sluzhkin is not a loser. He is portrayed as a righteous man. When a student of his falls in love with him he could possibly have some fun with her. But he knows it is the typical teacher student thing and lets it pass him by. There is a single happy ending in the story and it is not so much a happy ending as we know of. For me the ending is the most important part underlining Sluzhkin's nature. If you are up to some unfamiliar to your eye Russian drama, this film will deliver to your request. With great character development, unconventional teaching methods and sad humor "Geography Teacher traded a Globe for a Drink" deserves a watch.
