Character Relationship Map: Not Like Dad

Characters

• Max (played by Stanislav Starovoytov) — protagonist

  Max is the central adult protagonist, a son returning to his father's home in Moscow with his wife and children. Family conflict over parenting revives painful childhood memories, yet he ultimately re...

• Irina (played by Nadezhda Mikhalkova) — supporting

  Irina is Max's reluctant wife and the mother of their children. During the journey, she clashes with Max over how to raise the children, helping expose the unresolved influence of his own upbringing....

• Dima (played by Sevastyan Bugaev) — supporting

  Dima is one of Max and Irina's children, traveling with them to Dad's home. He is part of the family situation that intensifies disagreements about parenting, while his presence also allows Max's chil...

• Nastya (played by Diana Enakayeva) — supporting

  Nastya is one of Max and Irina's children, accompanying them on the trip to visit Dad. Although the story does not give her an individual subplot, her presence places the older generation's unresolved...

• Max's mother (played by Elena Lyadova) — supporting

  Max's mother is part of the painful family history recalled inside his childhood home. She left after Dad struggled with alcohol following the collapse of the Soviet Union, an event that contributed t...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Max's mother → Max (mother)
• Irina → Dima (Family Mother And Son) — Irina travels with Dima as part of the family visit, amid disagreements with Max about raising their children.

  The plot identifies Irina as the mother of Max and Irina's children, including Dima.

• Irina → Nastya (Family Mother And Daughter) — Irina travels with Nastya as part of the family visit, amid disagreements with Max about raising their children.

  The plot identifies Irina as the mother of Max and Irina's children, including Nastya.

• Max → Dima (Family Father And Son) — Dima's presence during the journey forms part of the parenting conflict that prompts Max to reflect on his upbringing.

  The plot identifies Dima as one of Max and Irina's children and says he accompanies them on the trip.

• Max → Nastya (Family Father And Daughter) — Nastya's presence during the journey forms part of the parenting conflict that prompts Max to recall his own childhood.

  The plot identifies Nastya as one of Max and Irina's children and says she accompanies them on the trip.

• Max → Irina (Family Husband And Wife) — Their disagreement over parenting during the journey exposes tension in their current family life.

  The plot describes Irina as Max's wife and says she travels with him and their children to visit his father.

Story Analysis

A family visit prompts Max to confront painful memories and reconsider the complicated bond with his father.

Plot Progression

1. A Journey Rekindles the Past — After his father's plans change, Max travels with Irina and their children. A disagreement about parenting brings memories of Max's own upbringing to the surface.
2. Lessons from a Hard Childhood — Max recalls unconventional lessons and being drawn into smuggling factory materials during the difficult post-Soviet 1990s. His memories present a harsh upbringing shaped by hardship and duty.
3. Home and Unspoken Resentment — The family arrives at Max's childhood home, where he learns that his father works as a night watchman and refuses financial help. Memories of his mother's departure deepen Max's feelings of neglect.
4. Confrontation and Recognition — Max confronts his father about emotional neglect and the absence of words of love. His father admits he should be more open, while Max recognizes the happiness contained in some childhood memories.