Lew Crippen
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- May 19, 2002
- Messages
- 12,060
When I saw you lying there suddenly everything became clear. I want to stay with you forever—if you'll have me.
I watched The Sleeping Dictionary because the blurb on IFC mentioned that it took place in Malaya between the wars. Had I known that the actors, no matter how talented, would have to struggle with a script that was as trite as it was predictable, I’d have spent my time doing something else. Veteran Bob Hoskins is quite good as England’s local colonial head. Jessica Alba is luminous as the native girl (Selima) whose job it is to teach earnest Hugh Dancy (John Truscott) both the Iban language and the ways of a man and woman. Predictably he resists for 30 minutes, until even more predictably he succumbs to her charms
Predictably he falls in love with her; predictably there are many obstacles to their romance, including (almost) forced marriages to others. Predictably they eventually find true happiness in the distant jungles of Borneo.
Did I mention that the plot was predictable?
There are some gorgeous shots of the jungles of Sarawak and the movie is worth watching for those—and perhaps for some of the performances. But if you have no interest in Borneo, give this a pass.
I watched The Sleeping Dictionary because the blurb on IFC mentioned that it took place in Malaya between the wars. Had I known that the actors, no matter how talented, would have to struggle with a script that was as trite as it was predictable, I’d have spent my time doing something else. Veteran Bob Hoskins is quite good as England’s local colonial head. Jessica Alba is luminous as the native girl (Selima) whose job it is to teach earnest Hugh Dancy (John Truscott) both the Iban language and the ways of a man and woman. Predictably he resists for 30 minutes, until even more predictably he succumbs to her charms
Predictably he falls in love with her; predictably there are many obstacles to their romance, including (almost) forced marriages to others. Predictably they eventually find true happiness in the distant jungles of Borneo.
Did I mention that the plot was predictable?
There are some gorgeous shots of the jungles of Sarawak and the movie is worth watching for those—and perhaps for some of the performances. But if you have no interest in Borneo, give this a pass.