THE BOOK OF DELIGHTS is an offbeat erotic drama from Brazil

Directed by Marcela Lordy
Written by Josefina Trotta and Marcela Lordy
Starring Simone Spoladore, Javier Drolas, Felipe Rocha
Rated R
Runtime: 1 hour 39 minutes 
On VOD and digital September 2

by Gary M. Kramer, Staff Writer

“Freely adapted” from the work of Clarice Lispector, the Brazilian import, The Book of Delights, is a curious—as in questioning, as in offbeat—erotic drama that considers weighty themes about love, solitude, and freedom.

Lóri (Simone Spoladore) is a restless young teacher who has moved from the provinces to Rio and into her late mother’s apartment. She has series of sexual encounters with men and, in one tryst, a woman. (One morning after scene is brilliantly shot with a naked man appearing in the frame, only for the image to be revealed as a reflection in a mirrored door that swings open. When the door closes and the mirror moves again, the man has disappeared, having left a note on the counter. It is a shame the film does not contain more terrific moments like this one.) 

Soon, Lóri finds herself attracted to the handsome Argentinian, Ulisses (Javier Drolas), who teaches philosophy. He is interested in her—but only when she is ready to commit to him body and soul. Lóri, however, seems to crave solitude, and Ulisses says he will wait, “as long as it takes.” 

As she grapples with her emotions, Lóri teaches existentialism to her 7-year-old students. (In one of the film’s few amusing scenes, her boss explains that her lessons are inappropriate, and can cause the children anxiety.) She babysits her favorite student, Otto, in one sequence, and helps him with a pet goldfish. They spy on one of her neighbors, who later tries to catch her attention, which prompts her to call Ulisses to help diffuse a situation that develops. 

But not much happens other than Lóri’s quotidian life unfolding slowly. There are some beautiful images in the film, from Lóri throwing a cigarette off her balcony, to a sequence of her walking along the beach alone at night. But much of The Book of Delights is talky (when it is not silent and contemplative), and there are discussions about animals and human nature that relate to how Lóri moves through the world. She is someone looking to “seize her freedom.” (One scene has her pleasuring herself against a mirror, perhaps to drive this point home.) She even tells her brother Davi (Felipe Rocha) to love whom he wants, suggesting he is not doing that, and that he should live the way she does. 

Lóri’s approach to life and love is about self-fulfillment and she does acknowledge the pain that is inherent in that journey. It is not just learning to love yourself, but the world you create for yourself and want to live in along with the difficulties of doing that. 

Her exchanges with Ulisses tease out her desire, but the film’s only real drama is if and when Lóri and Ulisses will act on their attraction. (Both actors look good sans clothes in their few passionate scenes together, so viewers will want them to couple up.)

Still, Lóri’s journey to emotional and sexual fulfillment is really only moderately interesting. Sections of the film are downright boring or pretentious. Moreover, despite a committed performance by Simone Spoladore—and a delicate one by Javier Drolas—The Book of Delights can be hard to read. The film is very episodic, and it takes a while to find its rhythm, which can be frustrating. Viewers may require the patience of Ulisses to get to the end. 

But when it comes, it can feel as liberating as it does for Lóri. And the end credits are fantastic.