The Sleeping Dictionary

The Sleeping Dictionary is a romantic drama set in 1930s Sarawak, a British colony in Borneo. The film follows John Truscott (Hugh Dancy), a young Englishman sent to the colony to continue his father's work. John is assigned a "sleeping dictionary," Selima (Jessica Alba), who teaches him the local language and customs. Despite the cultural taboo against their relationship, John and Selima fall in love. They are forced to part ways when John is threatened with trial for his involvement in a mining operation that poisoned the local rice supply. John reluctantly agrees to marry Henry Bullard's daughter Cecilia (Emily Mortimer) and return to Britain for a year. A year later, John returns to Sarawak with Cecilia, still struggling with his desire for Selima. He discovers that Selima has married Belansai and has a child, Mandar, who John believes may be his son. John's attempts to reconnect with Selima lead to tension and danger, as Belansai seeks revenge for John's past actions. The film explores themes of forbidden love, cultural clashes, and personal identity, set against the lush and exotic backdrop of the Bornean jungle.

You can stream The Sleeping Dictionary on: Apple TV Amazon Store Fandango at Home

Some movies that have similar genres and were produced around the same time as The Sleeping Dictionary include Blast from the Past, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Enemy at the Gates, Unfaithful, Daddy's Little Girls, If Only.

The Sleeping Dictionary was released in theaters on February 18, 2003.