Lost and Delirious (2001)

A newcomer to a posh girls boarding school discovers that her two senior roommates are lovers.

Director:

Léa Pool

Writers:

Susan Swan (novel), Judith Thompson (screenplay)

Stars:

Piper Perabo, Jessica Paré, Mischa Barton

4 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Piper Perabo	...	Pauline 'Paulie' Oster
Jessica Paré	...	Victoria 'Tori' Moller
Mischa Barton	...	Mary 'Mouse' Bedford
Jackie Burroughs	...	Fay Vaughn
Mimi Kuzyk	...	Eleanor Bannet
Graham Greene	...	Joe Menzies
Emily VanCamp	...	Allison Moller (as Emily Vancamp)
Amy Stewart	...	Cordelia
Caroline Dhavernas	...	Kara
Luke Kirby	...	Jake Hollander
Alan Fawcett	...	Bruce Moller
Peter Oldring	...	Phil
Grace Lynn Kung	...	Lauren (as Grace Kung)
Stephen Mwinga	...	John
Lydia Zadel	...	Monica

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

lesbian | girls' boarding school | teenage sexuality | lesbians caught in bed | lesbian romance | 

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Taglines:

Friends. Roommates. Lovers.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexual content involving teens, and language

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 September 2001 (Israel)

Also Known As:

Pasión prohibida

Filming Locations:

Bishop's University, Lennoxville, Québec, Canada

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$41,215, 8 July 2001, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$302,365, 2 September 2001

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cité-Amérique, Dummett Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of Emily VanCamp.

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Goofs

When Ms. Bannet, Victoria and Pauline are at the black board during the math class, parts of the equation appear without Pauline writing it.

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Quotes

Paulie: She's the only person who ever loved me, you know?
[Fay Vaughn nods]
Paulie: I think I'll die without her.

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Connections

Featured in Weird Sex and Snowshoes: A Trek Through the Canadian Cinematic Psyche (2004)

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Soundtracks

You Had Time
Written and Performed by Ani Difranco (as Ani DiFranco)
Published by Righteous Babe Music
Courtesy of Righteous Babe Records

User Reviews

Is there anything more painful than love?

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