Since the book “Courier” was written in the timeframe before the dry law campaign initiated by M. Gorbachev in 1985, the problem of alcoholism is addressed a lot more in the book than in the film.

Indeed, you may compare on the graph the alcohol consumption per capita in Russia within the last 50 years.

In the story Ivan’s mother is concerned that her son started drinking, which was not mentioned in the film.

Another episode when Ivan visits a writer Vorobyov was also not included in the film “Courier”. In that episode the writer himself seems to be quite bored and desperate. Not only he drinks, but also his neighbour comes to his house to borrow some money for alcohol.

In the story alcohol is also in plentiful amounts on Katya’s friend’s birthday party. They have a lot different bottles of foreign liquors, while in the film, since it took place during the dry law, the only alcohol available was the french perfume, which Ivan drank.

Finally, closer to the end of the movie, during the tableful which hosted professor Kuznetsov, there are almost no alcoholic beverages, in the book at the same time the guests are drinking a lot.