Legendary Russian writer Sergei Dovlatov's book "The Compromise" was published at the time of the author's emigration in USA and describes the period that Dovlatov himself has called "Interior emigration" - that is the years that he spent in Tallinn, Estonia as a journalist (1972-1976). The documentary interviews the prototypes of the book, including Dovlatov's former colleagues and friends who comment on the literary work. They share background information that helps to interpret both Dovlatov's destiny as well as the essence of the Soviet era.