The Geographer Drank His Globe Away (2013)

So much average

Beautiful, moving film.

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

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.

The film was a surprise. Large and pleasant. It is in part like the movies about teachers that educate rebellious students, but the story exceeds and reveals the need for us to be masters of our own lives.But when it comes to man with a good soul who does not intrude its existence to anyone, then it becomes more complicated. At the same time the vices are superimposed, the burden of the past and the passion.Highly entertaining, innovative in the way of shooting, the film tells of life's journey which is not only out in the world but also within ourselves. And only when we get to the spring within us, then we can go down the river and go beyond us. As young people the adults need help and guidance. Everyone need to survive the inclinations in order to establish his life. As for the adults it is still difficult, what is for the young who suffer from the scourge of the "porn, drugs and alcohol", living an empty life with banal jokes? Response to this question is not entirely situated in the movie, you have to look around you for it, constantly. The answer is in the constant shaking of life's swing between freedom and responsibility, love and independence, good and material.Watch this movie!http://vihrenmitevmovies.blogspot.com/

I saw this film at the Leiden film festival 2013 (LIFF). Nice inside view in everyday's life of average Russian citizens, and an average highschool classroom. Not sure how "average" it all is, since we have no means for comparison. It is a depressing view, but the interwoven humor softens it all and turns this movie into a digestible package.The tone is set in the opening scene in a train, where our main character tries to mislead a ticket inspector team by gesturing that he is mute/deaf. Initially they believe him and let him alone, but a few moments later his reflex when his mobile phone rings, exposes him. The remainder of the movie is full of such "small" events.Do not expect a story with a prologue, a happy end, and the main story in between. The first half is about normal people, a typical cross section of Russian citizens, and how they pass their days. We see neighbors intruding in other people's lives, to an extent we cannot imagine in our Western world where our home is our castle.The second half is a field trip undertaken by our main character, the geography teacher who was never trained for such a position but he needed the money. He is accompanied by part of his class, who never use his real name but consistently call him "geographer". The field trip actually came forth from a lost card game with one of the students. His prize would have been a "smooth" class for the rest of the semester. It turns out to be an adventurous struggle with nature, combined with the mixed successes he has in dealing with the variety of adolescents in his company.All in all, though defying all standard rules of storytelling, the net result is very watchable, partly thanks to the humor embedded in the scenario, partly thanks to the variety of participating characters. More people felt this way: this film ranked 3rd for the audience award with average score 4.41 (out of 5).