Lost and Delirious

Released 2001
Stars Piper Perabo, Jessica Pare, Mischa Barton, Jackie Burroughs
Directed by Lea Pool

Lost and Delirious is the story of three adolescent girls' first love, their discovery of sexual passion, and their search for identities. Set in a posh, private boarding school surrounded by luxuriant, green forest, Lost and Delirious moves swiftly from academic routine, homesickness, and girlish silliness to the darker region of lover's intrigue.

I really enjoyed this movie, and it wasn't only because of the lesbian relationship. All of the relationships are well realized, and the film really took me back to my teens. Back to that time when you feel everything so deeply and passionately that you don't think you can go on living when someone breaks your heart. In this case, the poor girl has to continue sharing a room with her ex. That's too much to ask from anyone, let alone someone who's mentally unstable. The movie isn't perfect. If you want to quibble, you can mention the language which becomes a little too poetic at times (the faux dictation of letters to parents), the fact that there only seems to be two faculty members, the gardener who dispenses wisdom, and the fact that they don't separate the two girls, but they're small quibbles. The film is true to smart teenagers, and its spirit is strong. --Bill Alward, October 20, 2002