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Lost and Delirious (2001) More at IMDbPro »

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191 comments in total

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82 out of 94 people found the following comment useful :-
Absolutely Beautiful, 1 February 2005

Author: midnightandlessbrave from United States

Sometimes I forget what kind of person I am because I interact with so many dull, selfish, and fearful people. This movie is about following your beliefs and living what you feel. It is about recognizing what you "live for". going after it with all that you are, and righteously being destroyed if you do not succeed. I became more and more absorbed in the film as it progressed and was deeply moved by its climax. I think the acting was superb and the dialog terrific. I also was very affected by the accompanying music. The situational and dialectical drama strongly complimented each other and I felt the angst, disbelief, and compassion rise within.

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65 out of 70 people found the following comment useful :-
Good but depressing, 28 June 2002

Author: dee.reid from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

"Lost and Delirious" is one of those movies that you may catch while flipping through channels late at night and end up loving. That is exactly what happened to me when I first saw this film. On the cover, I thought this would be another one of those feminist or lesbian type of movies but it isn't. It's actually a beautiful, but tragic love story. "Lost and Delirious" stars Piper Perabo, Jessica Pare, and Mischa Barton as three teenage girls at an all-girl prep school. Barton is Mary Bradford, a new girl to the school. She doesn't have much trouble fitting in, as she makes quick friends with her two roommates Paulie Oster (Perabo) and Tori Miller (Pare). One night, Mary, who can't sleep, walks over to her window and sees Paulie and Tori kissing. At first, she doesn't think much of it, but as she continues watching, she begins to see that Paulie and Tori may be more than just close friends.

This is truly a one of a kind film. I'm not real familiar with any of the three leading actresses past films except for Piper Perabo, who I saw in 1999's "Whiteboyz". She gives the best performance out of the three. I'm also not real familiar with director Lea Pool's past films either but I must say that her direction here is first rate.

"Lost and Delirious" is a beautiful film, no doubt. I've never seen a movie that has ever been more honest in carefully displaying its intentions, which is showing two people in love. Throughout the course of the film, we see Paulie and Tori's romance blossom, but keep in mind that they are not lesbians, they are simply two people in love that just so happen to be girls. Towards the middle of the film, we see their love for each other slowly begin to fade when they are both caught in bed by Tori's little sister after making love the night before. It is at this point, that Tori decides to call it quits to their relationship. Paulie, torn that the only person she ever loved, doesn't return the same feelings, soon begins to descend into jealousy, lust, and violence. This is where the movie really starts to get depressing and the ending shows how far a person will go just to show their love for someone.

"Lost and Delirious" is a very lovely film, in deed but is also very sad at the same time. This is definitely a film that's not for everyone, and I give it a ten out of ten.

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63 out of 71 people found the following comment useful :-
A moving story of first love, 16 January 2005

Author: stoik77 from United States

The movie "Lost and Delirious" was without a doubt one of the best depictions of young love to hit the screen yet. This movie is a must see for anyone who has ever been in love. The story of two girls in love and the social pressures that surround them in an all girl boarding school. Most people would say, "Why do we want to know this story?" I say because it is heartfelt and a true telling of the emotions swirling around same sex relationships. As individuals we all long to belong somewhere, to know that someone loves us despite the horrors around us everyday. To Paulie, this is who Tory is to her. She knows that as long as she feels Tory's love for her, life is worth living. Their love is secret of course because so many don't understand what it means to "just love." Into the secrecy of their relationship comes Mary B. or Mouse, who befriends them both and cares for them each as a friend despite knowing that they are a little more than "friendly." Adding to the confusion of emotions Tory's little sister Alley bursts in one morning to find her sister in a precarious position...in bed with Paulie. From here out the relationship between the two girls is strained.

Tory feels the pressure of her parents's dreams and expectations for her and is unable to acknowledge her love for Paulie fearing that her family will no longer love her and she will be forced to be seen as "not normal" by all her classmates. So in essence Tory chooses to shut out Paulie to avoid speculation and in doing so unwittingly causes Paulie to slowly descend into madness. Paulie of course takes the situation to heart, after all they are in love and that should be enough to overcome anything. But instead she finds herself alone...well except for Mary B. her loyal friend.

I love how the story is so real especially in the connections of the schoolgirls. Let's face it we all went to high school, private or not and it's brutal. Mary B. is loyal. She sticks with Paulie even though the other girls begin to talk about her as if she is "one of them." The classic scene is at the mail boxes, she responds with "Paulie is my friend, so I guess it doesn't matter what everyone else says!" However, she does witness Paulie falling apart and is torn with how to help. You see how hard it is for Tory to step away from Paulie, but the real heart breaker is in how Paulie deals with the rejection of her first real love. She feels as if the world has ended and the sun will no longer shine if there is no more Tory. She tries to win her back, but only causes embarrassment to Tory through her wooing.

If you have ever loved someone and for whatever reason others saw that love as wrong, your heart will break when you see this movie and you will weep. Sadly, Paulie is unable to cope with the rejection of Tory, and Tory is not able to step beyond her own insecurities and prejudices of others to comfort Paulie. So Paulie gives into the madness...the overwhelming grief she feels from the loss leads to her undoing. In the end it is Tory who is left to deal with the love they once shared and all that could have been. Mary B. learns through Paulies' folly how to pull herself out of the madness that can swallow us all if we aren't careful. This movie is moving, your heart will not escape the pain, but perhaps it will teach you too how to pull out of the madness around us all and in turn show us how to love one another. For love just is.

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54 out of 62 people found the following comment useful :-
Plain Brilliant!, 5 March 2005

Author: Danglar Donin from Brazil

I might say that, deep inside, "Lost and Delirious" is a chick-flick, but to those girls (and boys, let's say, because girls are not the only who like chick-flicks) who can look further and deeply. It's a smart, intense and beautiful alternative to "Down To You" or "She's All That". And It's also a gay-themed movie that can be enjoyable to anyone.

The movie focus in Piper Perabo's character, Paulie, which has a homosexual relationship with her best friend, Tory, played by Jessica Paré. Once Tory has no courage to admit to her parents she's gay, and decides to end up the relationship, Paulie freaks out. Everything is seen by the eyes of Mary (Mischa Barton).

Piper Perabo gives the performance of her career. And, if we consider she was in vapid movies like "Slap Her, She's French" and "Coyote Ugly", you'll be very surprised (or even shocked) with the way she make her Paulie a character so intense. Barton and Paré may stand behind, but are also great. It's a movie so well-crafted and beautiful that it's kind of funny the way director Lea Pool manages to make a movie that grows every time in beauty and intensity without losing the focus in real life, real feelings. It's a brilliant movie, a must-see.

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44 out of 49 people found the following comment useful :-
Three Kinds of Misery, 28 September 2004

Author: philmphile-1 from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

It could be called THE THREE FACES OF ANGST.

Watching LOST AND DELIRIOUS zaps you into the utter miseries of adolescent anguish, and even those who haven't been to boarding school will relate.

Moreover, each lead teen exemplifies a different type of misery although all have identity issues. Take the narrator; Mouse is her dad's pet name for her. Mary Bedford, also known as Mary B., gets the label 'B for Brave' by her older, dashing dorm mate Paulie. But afraid to take on the Brave mantle, Mary calls tells the Indian landscaper she's 'In Transition,' a fitting name for a pubescent teenager. Mary represents the anguish of detachment, leaving home for the first time though only about fourteen. Her mother died of cancer three years earlier and stepmom is envious of the bond between Mouse and her father. Hence she arrives at school and awkward outsider. Not only does Mary exude the New Girl vibe, but she soon finds herself witness to an extremely passionate relationship between her roommates, the adopted Paulie (short for Pauline), and the religious Victoria. After awhile, Mary finds their mutual cooing comfortable, evidence of their confidence in her as a trusted friend. The girls also bond through imaginary letters written to their parents which purge their repressed feelings. For instance, Tory air-writes to her mother whom she both despises and idolizes.

Unlike Mary and Paulie, Tory has both an older brother in a nearby boy's academy and a younger sister here at Perkins. When the sister discovers Tory in bed naked with Paulie, Tory starts a campaign of disavowing her love. Yet this is no ordinary crush soon blown over. Tory, who initiated lesbian sex acts several times, continues to room with and unintentionally tease the despairing Pauline. Both girls are homophobic in both speech and attitude. They do not consider themselves gay at all, but sharing in a special unity. However, to squelch rumors of their homosexual behaviors, Tory starts dating Jake, her brother's friend, and bragging about it, blaming Paulie as the unclear, unrequited lover. Her misery stems from self-denial, and deep-seated fear of being gossiped about and labeled. Anyone who has come out of the political or sexual closet knows how labels stick. Above all, she fears being disowned by her family.

Paulie has no such fear because her birth mother wishes to remain unfound and her adopted mom has emptiness behind her smiling eyes. Even the teachers can see Paulie's torment. Her affection for Tory soars beyond all teenage crush. This is a pure passion which exceeds rationality. Reading Shakespeare and cavalier poetry turns Paulie into a knight of yore, and she challenges Jake to a duel for the love of her lady. Despite this and her other tomboy tendencies, she cannot accept the lesbian label, either, but she's willing to put up with whatever others say as long as she can continue the fleeting bliss known all-too-briefly. In Pauline we see the ultimate misery of desire denied. With the firm confidence of youth, Pauline cannot imagine ever loving so deeply, so freely again. A realism pervades the strong performances of LOST AND DELIRIOUS that echoes the depressing state of adolescent anguish. The clear delineation of separate but joined misery by the three young leads make this film not a downer, but a celebration of truth--and film-making at its most intimate and revelatory.

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37 out of 51 people found the following comment useful :-
Excellent!, 2 September 2001
Author: LeRoyMarko from Toronto, Canada

Another great movie by Léa Pool (La Demoiselle sauvage, Emporte-moi).

This is not a lesbian-film, it's a film about love, about the happiness and the pain that goes with it. It's a true and poignant movie, but also very evocative and profound. The acting is excellent by the three lead characters: Piper Perabo, Jessica Paré and Mischa Barton. They're really in it. Because you see, almost everybody, sometimes in their life, get through a period like these girls are going. Who hasn't been completely shattered by a relationship that's going nowhere or simply doesn't lift up? Funny parts too: especially those with the gardener offering some words of advice to Mouse. Léa Pool makes also good use of the slow-motion to describe the pain, the emotion, the passion. In all, a movie that should be seen.

Seen at the Devonshire Odeon Cinema, in Windsor (Ontario), on August 21st, 2001.

85/100 (***½)

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26 out of 32 people found the following comment useful :-
Love is. If you understand that love just is you will understand L&D, 27 October 2004

Author: toby-63 from London

This movie has almost nothing in common with its insiration "The Wives of Bath". The movie does have everything to do with single minded love that turns to obsession. Piper Perabo as Paulie plays the role of her career, far surpassing anything else she has appeared in to date (although in Coyote Ugly she is beguiling!)

Jessiaca Pare plays the part of Tory well, and in some scenes steals the show with beautifully played emotions and torn loyalties. I have yet to see Jessica reach the heights of emotion she portrayed in this movie.

The movie ends very weakly, and in my view drawing the curtain a few minutes earlier would have made L&D almost perfect. Well done Lea Pool on one of the movies that made same sex love acceptable and better understood. Shame that it did not have a wider audience at the time of its release.

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30 out of 40 people found the following comment useful :-
About the film "Lost & Delirious", 14 January 2002
Author: Jennifer (amarinesgrrl@aol.com) from Muncie, IN

There are few words to describe a movie such as "Lost and Delirious." The most conspicuous being "beautiful." No matter what your views may be on homosexuality, there isn't a person out there who can truly say that they did not feel the tremendous pain that Paulie felt when Tori walked out of her life. Every camera angle, tape speed, background, audio effects...everything...in this movie is absolutely perfect. I've never seen anything like it. The only other picture I can remember of this same artistic caliber would be John Duigan's 1998 film "Lawn Dogs." However, even it does not leave you with the emotional sting that "Lost and Delirious" does. The bottom line is, do NOT rule out this film because of the basis of it's storyline. It is not all about the sexual relations & lesbian activity. It is very much a deep look into the human spirit.

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23 out of 28 people found the following comment useful :-
A unique, emotive film, 16 June 2005

Author: Shalimar Fox from West Yorkshire

This film puts a unique slant on an old subject matter. The underlying tones and themes are impressive and emotive. Instantly, you are sucked into the lives of the 3 main cast members, bonding with each of them quickly. They are all individual, yet extremely similar at the same time. The lesson they have to teach you is one that shoots straight into you, and you just cannot look away or deny it. Everything the movie has to offer is exceptional, the writing, the directing and most certainly the acting. Piper Perabo especially. She holds you in the palm of her hand, taking you through highs, lows, love and pain. Don't get this film confused with some 'lesbian chick flick'. The characters and situations are real, potent and memorable.

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18 out of 22 people found the following comment useful :-
Is there anything more painful than love?, 11 June 2006

Author: TOMASBBloodhound from Lincoln, NE USA

Lost and Delirious is an awkward, but strikingly earnest film. The story deals with a love affair between two girls at an exclusive prep school as witnessed by their roommate. Mischa Barton plays Mary, the new girl at school who quickly realizes that the two girls she shares a room with are a good deal more than just friends. Paulie (Perabo) is an outspoken girl with a troubled past, and Tori is a privileged girl from a more traditional family.

The first time Mary catches Paulie and Tori kissing on a rooftop in the middle of the night, she assumes they are only practicing for future encounters with boys. Soon enough, the two are sharing a bed in the nude, and the sounds they are making through the night leave little doubt as to what is going on. Mary accepts their relationship, and the three seem on their way to being good friends. Things take a turn for the worst when Tori's younger sister walks in the room one morning and catches Tori in the nude with Paulie. It's absolutely astonishing to see how fast Tori pushes Paulie away from that moment on. Tori explains that her parents would basically disown her if they found out. She spreads the word around campus that Paulie is actually a sexual predator who crawls in bed with her from time to time.

Tori ends up being a rather unlikeable character as the film progresses. She immediately hooks up with a boy from a nearby school, and openly flaunts the fact that Paulie means nothing to her. We know this isn't true from the start, however. Notice the agony on her face after she walks away from explaining to her little sister how there's nothing between herself and Paulie. She even goes as far as telling Paulie that she'll never love anyone else as much. All this after dumping and ridiculing her! Is this supposed to make Paulie feel better about being dumped? Anyway, enough about Tori...

Piper Perabo steals the show as Paulie. Her character would best be described as dangerously romantic and obsessive. She loves Tori more than could easily be explained here. Her constant public displays of devotion leave nothing to the imagination about how she feels. At one point, she even challenges Tori's new boyfriend to a duel in the nearby woods. There is nothing anyone can do to console Paulie or curb her obsession. At one point, even Mary is taken under her spell until loving memories of her late mother seem to bring her back to reality. Paulie has nothing like that to fall back on. Once she sees that she will never be with Tori, it can only end tragically for her. Piper Perabo needs to be in better films like this one. No more Cheaper by the Dozens or Coyote Uglys, please! This is not your typical film about teen love to say the least. Although this film has a few flaws, you will not soon forget it after seeing it. To see such devotion for one person from another is rare, even in movies. There are sex scenes, and they are handled honestly and tastefully. The film will no doubt remind all of its viewers about their most painful crushes, regardless of whom they may have been for. There are a few minor side plots that may not seem to fit with the central theme of this film, but overall you will likely find it a rewarding experience. And you have been warned: this film will probably depress you.

8 of 10 stars.

The Hound

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