There is something very off about this film. I got the feeling throughout it was poorly written, with uninteresting characters abound doing unexciting things... there was no sparkling dialogue and nothing to get me engaged with them whatsoever. Like with most bad screenplays, the cast change their goals and motivations with barely any explanation. For instance, the central pair fall in love at the drop of a hat, after spending most of first part arguing. And what a vanilla pair they make. They're welcome to each other.Set in an old British territory just 2 years before the Second World War, it's a lot more involving to admire the wonderful scenery and the costumes of the tribespeople than the dull-as-ditchwater romance. Everything is predictable to the Nth degree... you could stop watching after 20 minutes and fill in the rest of the blanks yourself. In fact, don't even bother doing that. Just think of this as an exercise in audience timewasting, and follow the advice of the title: either take a nap, or read a good book instead... 3/10

Yes, it's true that it was Jessica Alba who leads me to this movie, because without her, I should have never pick it.But, I find it long, dull and above all, unoriginal. All along, I thought that the story was full of clichés and the directing very boring. So it was a surprise to see that the director and writer are the one and same person. I take notice to remember to avoid all his next movies.It's a pity because all good things were at hand: Malaysia is a beautiful jungle, it was the British Empire and the cast is wonderful: Jessica knows how to open her soul and for one time, she has found an appropriate movie for this. Bob Hoskins shows a great experience and he should have won an award for this role.The only positive thing is that it makes me open a world-map to locate this island because if you guess it happens in south Asia, you don't know where exactly! Ah, the little plane flight with red lines in the Indiana Jones movie!!!

The summary above sounds like a few films I saw as a young lad in 1936, I loved this type movie then & still do, Then they were G rated, NOW they are more realistic & this has an honest R rating.To those reading this who are senior citizen,Think of Dorothy Lamour,Robert Preston, Ray Milland,Raymond Massey,Mary Astor & Frances Farmer, Now enacted by Jessica Alba,Hugh Dancy,Noah Taylor,Bob Hoskins, Brenda Blythen & Emily Mortimer, in the same roles as the above cast.Dorothy Lamour was as capable an actress as Jessica Alba.( now who ever paid attention to Miss Lamour's acting; Miss Alba is so beautiful who cares if she can act.Hugh Dancy an exceedingly handsome actor is also a brilliant actor & he shines in this early role. Noah Taylor is equally good as a slightly nasty guy, Bob Hoskins & Brenda Blythen are excellent in there characters,& Nancy Mortimer in another first rate performance.Guy Jenkin both wrote & directed this wonderful trip back to the past when films like this were common place. The production values are first rate & believe it or not this excellent film only cost $ 12 Million For some reason this film never was released to the theatres, it went direct to DVD.It was filmed on location in Sarawak--Malaysia.Everything is near flawless. The R rating is mainly for the adult subject matter, a few choice words & an unneeded shot of naked breasts,.For beautiful love story, exotic location fans THIS IS A MUst. ratings **** (OUT OF 4) 98 POINTS (OUT OF 100) IMDb 10(OUT OF 10)

It's really too bad when the whole motivation for a long-lasting love is that both the man and the woman are super attractive. With everything that happens to the young British colonial officer and the young Iban woman who becomes his "sleeping (together) dictionary" AFTER they fall in love (most of the movie), it's hard to believe their "love" is really that strong, as it's based on almost nothing, story-wise.The mountains and jungles of Sarawak, East Malaysia, make a stunning setting for the film. The longhouses, shown in the old style, and the life of the Iban people provide a wonderful texture and cultural backdrop ... sadly, not much more than that. The people are dignified and realistic, and if you don't know anything about the headhunting days and traditional culture of the interior of Borneo, you might find yourself wanting to learn more after you see this. Most of the actors look like Iban, or at least Malays -- except for Alba, who isn't and doesn't.I caught this on IFC, and I wasn't bored, but the thin cardboard characters really disappointed me even while I was enjoying the scenery.