Truscott is initially repulsed by the arrangement, viewing it as immoral. However, he is assigned Selima (Jessica Alba), a beautiful and headstrong young woman of mixed Iban and British descent. What begins as a purely functional arrangement—where Selima teaches him the language while he attempts to maintain a professional distance—inevitably blossoms into a deep, passionate romance.
★★★☆☆ (3/5 – interesting but problematic) nonton the sleeping dictionary
To is to accept a paradox. It is a film that wants to condemn colonial exploitation while simultaneously using that exploitation as the engine of its romance. It is beautiful and troubling, passionate and painful. Truscott is initially repulsed by the arrangement, viewing
The film has been criticized for casting Jessica Alba (non-Asian) as an Iban woman – a common early-2000s Hollywood practice. Viewers sensitive to representation issues should be aware. ★★★☆☆ (3/5 – interesting but problematic) To is
Upon his arrival, Truscott is shocked to learn of a local colonial tradition: young British officers are assigned a local woman, known as a "sleeping dictionary." Their official role is to teach the officer the local language and customs to aid in his work; unofficially, they serve as concubines.