Customer Reviews

Lost and Delirious (Widescreen)

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Ah, boarding schools! All girl boarding schools! As an erotic cliche, its tried and true, but so damn sexy! And that pretty much sums up LOST AND DELIRIOUS. It thrives on cliches, and takes itself way too seriously, but boy are the sex scenes the hottest things this side of an X-rating!
Of course, I'm bound to get some flack for these comments, but, alas, this is how it is and how I see the movie.
The story focuses on three roommates Polly, Tori and Sarah, at a prestigious boarding school where it's seemingly so easy for the girls to sneak out at night.
Well, Polly and Tori are engaged in one hell of a steamy relationship. In fact, they go at it just about every night. Well, when they are caught, Tori calls it off, and starts dating a man (in fact, he gets her up against a tree on their first date!! Damn, I should've gone to boarding school!).
Well, Polly gets all bent out of shape and jealous and starts acting like a total wacko.
And so on and so on. Aside from the hot sex, the whole thing just doesn't amount to much more than a homoerotic DAWSONS CREEK episode. Even the soundtrack is pretty foolish (listen for the absolutely absurd, recurring theme song that has the oh-so-poetic lyrics "What pretty hair......Can I Kiss You? Can I Kiss You............There?" YEAH!
That pretty much sums up the film, but, alas, I'm not going to lie- When it's on late night, you can sure as hell bet that I'm gonna watch it!
The one thing I don't understand is this- I wish they did more with the virginal, Sarah. I figured when the relationship between Polly and Tori ended, that Polly would sorta recruit Sarah and "show her the ropes." They kind of hint at that, but it never comes to fruition. Oh well. Perhaps there will be "Lost and Delirious 2: The Lost Days/Nights."

This is NOT a "lesbian" movie. I keep seeing this movie listed as a "lesbian" movie--as though it's only for a lesbian audience. It's not. It's an amazing piece of art about that deals with universal themes of love, acceptance, betrayal (of the self and of others), friendship, loyalty, honesty, peer pressure, emotional dependance, parenting, prejudice and more.

Mainly, it's about the damage done by labels, as lead Paulie says to Mouse, "I'm not a girl in love with a girl, I'm Paulie in love with Tory." So don't label, watch. And don't think this movie won't move you if you aren't gay. It will.

I'd say it's one of the most quietly powerful movies I've ever watched.

Too many reviews of Lost & Delirious that detail the storyline to do the movie any further justice. Instead I will focus on its leading star, Piper Perabo. I first saw this 2001 movie while surfing the movie channels. After five minutes of watching a group of teen girls attending their first day (back) at boarding school, I was about to switch channels with no intention of turning back. That is, until Piper Perabo, whom I had not seen previously (Coyote Ugly, 2000), pop out from behind an arm chair smoking a cigarette. I was hooked on her performance and storyline within moments to the extent that I watched it again the following week, and ultimately purchased the DVD from Amazon.

I am led to believe that Lost & Delirious was a low key project and one that didn't garner any true form of mainstream audience. And that is a shame. Without doubt, despite its low budget tag, Piper's performance was of 'Oscar Award' strength. Aided by a strong ensemble of actors, Piper's talents shone in every scene, none more so than where she is distraught over losing the love of her room mate. Ms. Perabo's performance was powerful, mesmerizing and the storyline thought provoking. It would be fair to say that the conclusion was heart-rending. It took some while for a degree of normalcy to return to one's life ~ a true indicator of the power of an actor's performance.

Although Ms. Perabo has featured in a couple of lead roles since this movie, in addition to her starring role in Covert Affairs (USA Network & Showcase Canada), I am bewildered as to why Piper has not garnered more headliner roles. Choose to watch Lost & Delirious to witness not only a first rate movie with depth, but to see an actress whose talents overflow the screen.

I can't believe how many negative reviews there are about this movie. I do admit the movie has very little to do with the book. Actually both are extremely different. So if you have read The Wives of Bath and expect the movie to reflect the book, you will be disappointed. However this is by far the BEST movie I have ever seen. It is one of those movies that stays with you, it can consume you if you allow it to. There are so more many themes represented in this movie than the obivoius, a girl in love with a girl. The most overlooked theme is the main theme: how a mother's unconditional love affects a daughter. Other themes include: passion, fear, obsession, stereotypes, finding identity, defiance, loyalty, rejection, and vunerability. Its about how far a human will go for love. If you like drama and are a fan of shakespearian movies, then you will love this movie. The acting was the most incredible I've ever seen. Piper Perablo is awesome. She can go from a quite soft whisper to a bold loud character on the brink of sanity with minitues in this movie. The ending is predictable, and movie wouldn't have been half as good without it. Although it is sad, it is the only way the movie could have ended. Paulie had to break the mold, you see, she couldn't become Miss Vaughn. Miss Vaughn (the headmistress) represents Paulie's fate, and Paulie just can't except that. Paulie doesn't go insane at the end, she just goes to far in love, and that is what this movie is about: love, passion, and going to far in love and how it can affect two lovers. This movie touched me on so many emotional levels. Anyone who loves a woman should see this movie. The movies takes away the "girl/girl relationship taboo." It is def. not a lesbian flick, it's a movie about love, and supports the notion that it doesn't matter what the gender is of the person you love...be who you are, and never compromise that, even if it takes everything away from you. It is a movie for those that can appreciate a good independent film, not those who are into the run of the mill mainstream movies. Lost and Delirious creates its own category, and it truly sets itself apart. I absolutely recommend it.

This movie is truely exceptional. It deals with total love (which happens to be between two young women). An independant and strong woman (Paulie played by Piper Perabo) loses her lover (Tori played by Jessica Pare)and gradually sinks into dispair. The story is observed/narrated by Mouse (Mischa Barton).

Tori and Paulie are deeply in love, easy and relaxed with each other and passionate about each other. Paulie is the strength in the relationship protecting her woman. Tori fears family disapproval and cuts off the woman she loves. Paulie fights to win back her lover against impossible odds. The movie is deeply sad, is well acted (brilliantly in the case of Perabo - this woman will be a mega-star) and is an emotional roller coaster. To quote the author Carole Taylor - "Love conquers nothing. Fear conquers all" (from "A Third Story"). For L&D fans, the music "Beautiful" is by Me'Shell Ndegeocello from the CD "Bitter". The movie is based on the book "The Wives of Bath" by Susan Swan. This movie is a must for anyone (of either sex) who loves women. Of my 200 DVD collection, this one I could not survive without. The quote of the movie: - "I am not a lesbian, I am Paulie and I love Tori". This is romance at its finest (and saddest)if you watch it a dozen times you will find more nuances and still wish you could make it ok for them - It deserves to be recognised as the classic romance that it is. BUY IT.

Many filmmakers use homosexuality as a comedic reference to make a comedy laugh at a gay man who does hair, a manly lesbian, or any of the stereotypical commercial image homosexuality is presented in hollywood today. Few movies captivate a true love story revolving homosexuality and I applaud Lea Pool for doing so with much success. This movie reminds me of a Shakespeare poem, so carefully written and so beautifully recited. Piper Perabo definitly struck a cord with me for her powerful performance as the heartbroken girl who turns dark and falls into her own surreal world of delirious fake emotions. A beautifully made movie, this should've got more attention than it did. I love how Lea represented Piper's isolation by a trapped eagle that Piper is teaching how to fly, "You will fly away from here." Piper longs for that eagle to be her, hoping she can flutter easily and softly from the heavy world around her. This is one of the few movies that made me cry, actually cry because of the emotional depths that it reached. This is a true gem in filmmaking and the acting couldn't have been any better by Piper. The movie thinks and feels her character revolving around landmines of depression where a way out seems almost impossible. I applaud Lea Pool for finally making a movie about teen homosexuality and not making it something to laugh at. The image of homosexuality now is becoming grossly missunderstood. Especially to young minds who listen to these harsh words from Eminem about homosexuality being wrong. This movie represents homosexuality as beauty and love just like any true love story would be.

Recalling Dead Poets Society but with the gay theme outed and some explicit sex thrown in, Lost and Delirious tells the story of a failed lesbian romance betwen two students (a third roomate watches and does nothing). And like so many recent teen flicks, there are a number of citations from Shakespeare--Antony and Cleopatra (4.15 60-62), Twelfth Night (Viola's willow speech to Olivia), Macbeth (Lady Macbeth's "Unsex me here" speech) and Hamlet (a guy who fences the lesbian character played Laertes). Lost and Delirious seriously disappoints in its bland editing and cinematgraphy, its incoherent characterization (a character goes from being in love and lesbian to being hateful and hetero with no clear explanation; another passively watches and does nothing to help the rejected lesbian character she is supposed to have befriended, etc.), its consistently bad (over)acting, and its frequently horrific screenwriting. It's not at all surprising that the film immediately tanked at the box office. Despite its many flaws, however, Lost and Delirious is watchable--barely. I'd wait for it to show up on the Lifetime Channel and watch it then.

Lost and Delirious is a haunting and very impressive film. Mischa Barton does an excellent job as the new girl sent to live at an all girl's college. She quickly becomes close friends with her two roommates, Pauline and Tory, who are also lovers. The imagery and cinematography in this film are done brilliantly, some of the best I've ever seen. Great story outstandingly told as well. The acting is occasionally a bit overdramatic, but still quite superb. The ending is a little predictable, but I think most people (the smart ones anyway) would find this film to be quite evocative and most excellent nonetheless... And they would definitely be right :).

Based on the book The Wives of Bath by Susan Swan.

I thought this was an exceptional movie. Not growing up lesbian, but now an out lesbian, I understood the feelings of rejection and hurt. My partner, however, looked at me with tears in her eyes (not a "crier"), and said to me, "This is why most adult lesbians are f***ed up." It really hit home. The level of devastation, not only to be rejected by your lover, but a denial of ever being involved...whew. We both thought the movie was beautiful, sad, and suprisingly not over the top--not even the ending. I highly recommend this movie.

Mary "Mouse" Bedford (Mischa Barton) is sent by her widowed father and her new step-mother to a private boarding school and ends up in a room with two older girls. Pauline "Paulie" Oster (Piper Perabo) is the school rebel, the one who takes pointed offense on feminist grounds to a teacher using the word "gabbing" to describe the conversation of the girls and the one who spikes the punch at the party. Victoria "Tori" Moller (Jessica Pare) is a much quieter rich kid who is not interested in making waves but rather with getting along. However, one night Mouse sees Paulie and Tori kissing. In her youthful innocence she assumes they must be practicing for boys, but it soon becomes clear that the two young girls are lovers, a fact that becomes another thing that Mouse has to get used to.

Mouse is the narrator of "Lost and Delirious" when Lea Pool's film requires that way of accessing more of Susan Swan's novel "The Wives of Bath," which is adapted by Judith Thompson, but mostly she is in the position of observer of what is happening with Paulie and Tori. The three girls become friends because they have in common absent mothers. While Mouse's has died, Paulie's gave her up for adoption the day she was born, and while Tori's mother is still around she is domineering, conservative, and unaffectionate. Accepted by the older girls, Mouse finds herself comforted by the sound of their intimacy in the night.

But then the two girls are discovered together in bed by the other girls and Tori is desperate to convince them that nothing happened and that she is not like Paulie. Now Tori wants nothing to do with Paulie, although they are still roommates and still taking classes together. Tori attempts to move on, even taking on a boyfriend from a conveniently local prep school, but Paulie cannot and will not accept that things have changed. Mouse tries to explain to Paulie that Tori is not a lesbian, which engenders an outburst from Paulie who rejects the idea that she is a lesbian because she is a girl in love with a girl, telling Mouse, "I'm PAULIE in love with TORI. Remember? And Tori, she is, she IS in love with me because she is mine and I am hers and neither of us are lesbians!"

This is an interesting proposition to consider, although the fact that there ia nude scene between the two girls will settle the matter for some viewers. Paulie confesses at one point that Tori is the only person who has ever loved her and there is no reason to doubt her, nor to ignore the overwhelming significance of that admission. Besides, when Paulie tells Tori that she can do things for her than her boyfriend cannot it speaks more to the inexperience of teenage boys than sexual orientation. But ultimately "Lost and Delirious" is not about lesbians in love, it is about a young woman losing the person she loves, which is what most people are going to identify with when they watch this film, because Paulie's pain is what we respond to in the end.

This 2001 film takes place "today," although the film looks like it might be taking place in the past. That is partly because the whole school uniform bit seems out of date but also because this is an adolescent version of Mischa Barton, caught in the limbo between "Notting Hill" and "The O.C." So I keep thinking the story is taking place longer ago than it really is, but Paulie declares that this is the 21st century and consequently I have to make an effort not to keeping thinking "Lost and Delirious" is happening closer to the time of "The Children's Hour."

There are a minimal number of adults in the move to help these girls with either their education or their emotional problems. Fay Vaughn (Jackie Burroughs) teaches Shakespeare, Eleanor Bannet (Mimi Kuzyk) teaches mathematics, and Joe Menzies (Graham Greene) is the gardener. Collectively the adults seem concerned about what is happening, but never really do anything, leaving the girls on their own. My only real concern with this film is that in the end game Paulie has too many exotic options at her disposal at the end. She can know how to fence or she can find a falcoln in the forest to train, but it is a bit much to be able to do both. Choosing between the two is easy, because the latter better serves her character and there are lots of ways of proving Paulie is a danger to others than having her engage in a duel with sabers.