Sleeping Dictionary

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"The Sleeping Dictionary" is a story of forbidden love that went straight to video in February of 2003. The primary draw of the movie is Jessica Alba ("Idle Hands"), who tackles her first leading role in a motion picture alongside a cast of relative unknowns. The film does not introduce anything cinematically new or unique, but for a film that never made it to the big screen (likely due to the nearly simultaneous cancellation of Alba´s "Dark Angel" TV series), it boasts impressive production values and provides for decent entertainment. Directorial credit goes to Guy Jenkin, whose career has been comprised of, until this point, mostly television productions.

The movie takes place from 1936-1937, mostly in British-occupied Sarawak (on the Malaysian island of Borneo). Hugh Dancy ("Black Hawk Down") plays John Truscott, a naïve and freshly schooled young man who travels from Great Britain to complete his education and realize the vision of his late father (to bring education to the natives, an aboriginal people known as the Iban). Immediately, he meets local magistrate Henry Bullard, played by Bob Hoskins ("Enemy at the Gates"). "Mayor" Bullard introduces John to the Iban tribe and the beautiful Selima (Alba). Selima is what is known as a sleeping dictionary--a tribal woman who provides an education in the Iban language and performs "wifely duties" for presumably lonely colonial officials. In a formula consistent with all "unlikely lovers" scenarios, John at first rejects Selima´s role as a sexual partner, primarily citing his gentlemanly upbringing and allegiance to Christian values. In a humorous scene, John´s servant/cook jumps to an extreme conclusion and introduces an obviously homosexual male "assistant cook" to the mortified British chap.

Soon, John and Selima become more comfortable with each other after several half-comical quarrels, and their relationship begins to blossom. In the meantime, John meets Henry´s vigilant and disapproving wife Aggie, who is played convincingly by Brenda Blethyn ("Secrets & Lies"). Selima continues to instruct John in the Iban language, and the two begin to fall head over heels for each other with the addition of lessons in "bedroom etiquette". As the relationship between the couple grows deeper and more noticeable, the noose begins to tighten around them from both the English officials and the Iban tribe. This chain of events begins in part with the introduction of the Bullards´ daughter, Cecil (Emily Mortimer), as a match for John in marriage. As time passes, numerous tragic events involving criminal miners, rival suitors, and the immutable nature of English laws and traditions combine to separate and mortally threaten John and Selima. Things become more violent and complicated as the movie progresses and the lovers continue to defy obstacles of every sort in order to pursue each other, regardless of the consequences. The movie clings doggedly to the clichéd theme of "love conquers all" but, to the film´s credit, this does not hurt the production as much as one would think.

The acting in "The Sleeping Dictionary" is respectable on the whole with the sad exception of one performer--Jessica Alba. Perhaps the only thing in this picture more tragic than the separation of the lovers is the wasted opportunity for a breathtaking young actress to make a big break into stardom. Alba, who gained a great deal of publicity with her role in "Dark Angel", delivers a performance that even her jaw-dropping beauty and charm cannot save. She is simply not believable as an exotic tribal girl, and there are a few scenes where her clumsy dialogue delivery, anachronistic mannerisms, and wobbly accent made me literally cringe. There are also spots where her facial expressions seem stiff, overly forced, and even inappropriate to the point that they elicited laughter. It is apparent that she was genuinely trying her hardest, which makes it all the more painful for me to criticize her. Given her work in "The Sleeping Dictionary", I worry about how much of a career Ms. Alba will have beyond the legacy of "Dark Angel". That being said, I hope that an artist with her widespread appeal will ultimately get a few second chances. (By the way, those of you hoping to get a salacious look at nakedness will see plenty--plenty of Alba´s body double, that is.)

Hugh Dancy gives a sound--if unremarkable--effort for his role as John Truscott. The most difficult task for Dancy must have been demonstrating the gradual metamorphosis of John from an uptight, duty-bound British schoolboy to a passionate and free-spirited man--a challenge that he meets adequately. Emily Mortimer has a thankless role as Cecil, but she does a serviceable job of playing the Yin to Selima´s Yang while remaining likeable to the viewer. Brenda Blethyn does memorable work and pulls off a difficult role as an understatedly nefarious and intolerant figure. Noah Taylor ("Vanilla Sky") is well-cast as Neville Shipperly, an abusive, wicked clod and bitterly jilted lover who, along with Aggie Bullard, is a menace to John and Selima´s happiness. Taylor makes the most of his rather small role as a "worm that everyone loves to hate". Bob Hoskins, who I have always felt was underused as an actor, shines in his performance as a conflicted and multifaceted man torn between personal demons and his moral obligations to duty. His presence on the screen never ceases to be riveting or enjoyable, in spite of the limited supporting role that he fills. It is a crying shame that we don´t get to see an underrated talent like him more often in mainstream American cinema.