The Sleeping Dictionary
2003 · Movie · R · 109 min · ★ 6.5 · 62% critics
In 1930s colonial Malaysia, a young British officer arrives in a remote village to “modernize” the local community. He’s paired with a local woman whose traditional role is to share his bed while teaching him the language and customs, but their growing bond sparks backlash from both the colonial authorities and the village.
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Details
- Years
- 2003
- Release date
- 2003-01-31
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Critic score
- 62/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.5/10 (182 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a sweeping, old-fashioned romance set against colonial-era tensions and an exotic backdrop, with big emotions and moral conflict; Not for you if you dislike melodrama or predictable plotting like in Anna Karenina.
Pros: lush jungle setting; strong supporting cast; romantic adventure vibe | Cons: familiar love story; uneven pacing; melodramatic moments
Themes
- forbidden love
- borneo
- period drama
- 1930s
- romantic drama
Cast & crew
Jessica Alba
as Selima
Brenda Blethyn
as Aggie
Hugh Dancy
as John Truscott
Bob Hoskins
as Henry Bullard
Junix Inocian
as Famous
- MM
Mano Maniam
as Policeman
K.K. Moggie
as Tipong
Emily Mortimer
as Cecil
Noah Taylor
as Neville
- CI
Christopher Ling Lee Ian
as Jasmine
Directed by Guy Jenkin