Rating: 
Summary: Sarawak remembered
Review: I saw this film because it was filmed in Malaysia. I expected it to be about events on the Maylay Peninsula,but it wasn't. Most Westerners are unfamiliar with the geography of this country.I visited Malaysia in 2001. I immediately reconized the province of Sarawak in Northern Borneo. The events and life style are true to life for the area.The story is one performed many times, and this rendition is adequate. I was definitely taken back to the forest of Borneo and the Iban longhouse.
Rating: 
Summary: Visually Stunning but a Farce
Review: I was astonished to read reviews stating that this film is true to the events of the time in Sarawak, as if these reviewers took the time to look up Sarawak on the internet, they might be quite embarrassed!Sarawak was an independent state until 1941 when the Japanese invaded and did not become a British possession until 1947! This historical innacuracy annoyed me very much throughout the film, and I am stunned to read reviews PRAISING its true telling of events! For a true history, simply type Rajah Brooke or Sarawak into your search engine or email me at jasonbrooke@eircom.net Great scenery but no more praise for historical accuracy please!
Rating: 
Summary: MUST BUY FOR ANY ALBA FAN
Review: If you are in love with Jessica Alba, like my self. You must purchase this DVD... there are scenes that are a little wild. Lets just say you get to see Jessica Alba. Definately a must have!
Rating:
Summary: Visually entertaining
Review: In the not-so-distant past, young British men, fresh out of university, were sent to outposts of the Empire to practice their administrative skills on one of the many races subjugated by the British at the time. This film follows young John Truscott (Hugh Dancy) as he arrives in Sarawak (now part of Malaysia) in 1936 for his stint - he is idealistic, and full of ideas for educating and civilising the primitives. He is startled to be met by a tattooed native who speaks perfect English, and who introduces himself as Belansei (Eugene Salleh). Belansei takes him upriver, where he meets Henry Bullard (Bob Hoskins), who is governor of the district. Truscott is assigned a hut, a cook (who cooks well, but drinks heavily), and, to his surprise, a "sleeping dictionary". A sleeping dictionary, he is informed, is a young woman who will sleep with him and teach him the local language. Truscott is shocked, and upset, although he feels very attracted to Selima (Jessica Alba). He refuses to sleep with her, but offers to learn the language from her. Bullard is angry, because he is rocking the boat and refusing to follow tradition, even though this is the way things have been done for centuries.
Truscott yields to propinquity, however, and falls in love with Selima, and she with him. This love is deepened when they experience danger together. He wants to marry her, but this is forbidden by British traditions, and all manner of retribution will fall upon them should they persist. Instead, Bullard's wife, the manipulative Aggie (Brenda Blethyn), pushes him to marry her daughter Cecilia (Emily Mortimer, who plays this role in unflattering make-up so she looks plain). This doesn't make the other young British administrator, Neville Shipperly (played with superb chinless sleaze by Noah Taylor) at all happy, for he had designs upon Cecilia for himself.
Jessica Alba's acting skills are fairly limited (not that she's required to do much here), and easily surpassed by Hugh Dancy, who does a superb job of English prig on arrival, gradually learning that the Iban, and others, are people too.
This film was shot in Malaysia, and the river and jungle scenery is really quite lovely.
The love story is nicely told, set among the ugliness of British colonialism.
Rating: 
Summary: Jessica Alba & Hugh Dancy are Superb among Melodramatic Plot
Review: Jessica Alba and Hugh Dancy lift up this terribly melodrmatic story about the early 20th century, when an Englishman named John Trascott in the most remote outpost in Sarawak, Indonesia, meets a native girl Selima, 'a sleeping dictionary.' According to the film, the long-standing custom has it that to learn the language of the place, the newly arrived officers are to sleep with the native girls every night. Pillow talk is the best way to learn foreign words, so the film says, and most guys would agree with that idea. Not John. John refused to follow the custom, but anyway you know it's Jessica Alba. Selima is a spirited girl, but this time it is not futuristic world of "Dark Angel," but deep in the forest of exotic Asia, so who can resist? But after they come to really love each other, complicated things start to happen, making them look like Romeo and Juliet, only difference being there could be a way out. The film is actually good. Acting is superb, especially the two leads, and you got Bob Hoskins, Brenda Blethyn, Emily Mortimer, and Noah Taylor. The location is perfect because the film was shot there, so jungles look really jungles, not some park in California. The humid atmophere which must have annoyed the cast and the crew can be felt on the screen, and Ms. Alba looks like the character she is playing, even though, thanks to her former TV appearance, I still feel that she could get out of any trouble, eliminating every one of them in her way with ease. But why three stars, you might say? Sorry, it's the story, which can be divided into two parts. The first, gentler one is much more engaging and charming than the second, contrived one. Hugh Dancy and Jessica Alba make a truly charming pair, first spurning then accepting each other, and that type of essense makes a really good film, the first-time director Guy Jenkin should have known. Instead, like Jodie Foster's "Anna and the King," the latter half goes into a maze of actions and intrigues, never knowing how to get out of that gracefully. Strangely Mr. Hoskins' & Ms. Blethyn's characters suddenly show the wide variety of emotions, which make them look quite silly sometimes. The film leaps from one emotion to another without giving sufficient time for us to be sympathetic, and in this way undermines the romance between the likable youngsters which should have been left intact. The film doesn't know how to tell a good story of love. We don't need to see a "villain" in this boy-meets-girl story -- the same kind of mistake James Cameron did in "Titanic." Watch those two stars, and ignore the incredible story. Only then you can see the true value of "Sleeping Dictionary."
Rating:
Summary: A must have for Hugh Dancy fans!
Review: Jessica Alba is not the only reason to buy this DVD. Anyone who has seen Hugh Dancy in films/series like TNT's "David Copperfield" (which, sadly, is not yet on video/DVD), "Black Hawk Down", BBC's "Daniel Deronda" and the upcoming "Ella Enchanted" will no doubt want to get their hands on this DVD. Hugh plays John Truscott, an idealistic and naive British diplomatic assigned to learn about the culture and peoples of Sarawak. There he meets and is "given" Selima (Jessica Alba) as a "guide" (his "sleeping dictionary" who teaches him a thing or two about her peoples' ways). The two fall in love and come in conflict with his responsibilities as a diplomat, the rules and mores of British society and her ethnic/tribal customs. Will love triumph over adversity and social constraints? The cast is strong (with supporting roles by Brenda Blethyn and Bob Hoskins) and Dancy is charismatic and believable as our hero.
Jessica Alba is perhaps a weaker link but the story itself is compelling and you find yourself rooting for our hero and heroine. It is a sweet love story and Hugh Dancy is so wonderful to look at, that I find it well worth the price of the DVD just to stare at him for 2 hours (superficial, I know, but the women readers will understand). If you enjoy this film, may I also recommend Hugh in "Daniel Deronda" (an excellent BBC period piece based on George Eliot's novel) as well as "The Bounty" starring a young Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins (which follows a similar story thread to this film). All in all, I highly recommend "Sleeping Dictionary" and I dare any female viewers out there not to fall in love with Hugh once they've seen him in this one.
Rating:
Summary: Yay! Jessica Alba!
Review: Jessica Alba! that beautiful girl's name made me get this movie, The Sleeping Dicitonary is a very seductive movie. Jessica's acting ability werent on its full potential...but Hugh Dancys performance was great! despite Jessica's hillarious performance, i still enjoyed watching this movie and also loved the watching beautiful scenes that had her. Love You Jessica!
Rating:
Summary: Very romantic! Hugh Dancy is great!
Review: Just watched this movie not long ago. I love it! Very romantic with beautiful sceneries and beautiful actors! I was so attracted to Hugh Dancy after watching this. Not only was he extremely handsome, charismatic, but also a great actor! Jessica Alba is very beautiful too. Both Dancy and Alba have great chemistry. The 2 reminded me of the characters, Princess Adrienne & handsome thief, Philip Chamberlain, from romantic the novel "Sweet Revenge" (you people gotta read this book! It's fabulous!) by famous author Nora Roberts. Dancy & Alba fits the role 100% if this novel ever being make into a movie. Anyway, back to the movie. For those who loves Romance movies with beautiful actors/actresses, this is a MUST watch for you. Girls will be stunned by Dancy's charisma & guys will fall head over heels for Alba.
Rating:
Summary: Jessica has a Lackluster Performance
Review: My title indicates why this is a straight to video movie. I first starting admiring jessica in the early 90's when she was in Flipper. She was believable then and just amazing in Dark Angel, so it was surprising that her acting was so awful in this movie. The writing could've been better but the nudity issue is indicative of her acting in this flick. A QUICK SYNOPSIS: An Englishman-officer candidate-is sent to a foreign post to learn how to be an administrator. Soon after he arrives he is told that Selima (jessica's character) is to be his tutor in that tribe's language and customs. Since she needs to be with him 24/7 she is expected to sleep with him as this has been the custom for 300 years. He is horrified at first but succumbs to her charms. Then both violate custom by falling in love. Events snowball after this. Back to the nudity argument. You see breasts, but not at the same time you see her face. At one point you see her bare back as she's in bed with the Englishman. As she rolls off him you can see the pasties she's glued to her breasts. She holds back in the lovemaking scenes and seems apprehensive in half a dozen scenes. Jessica is capable of so much more. As the lovers realize their love is causing harm, jessica's performance is less than convincing. Late in the movie, jessica's character is being abused by the new administrator. With the help of a drunk houseboy, she beats up the administrator, but not very well. Anyone who has dated a Phillipino woman or watched Dark Angel knows that Jesica should be able to trash this guy on her own. Thus my justification that Katie Holmes would've been better in the role.
Rating:
Summary: Jessica Rocks
Review: Nice story finding true love.
Jessica Alba gives a great performance
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