During the 1930s, British officer John Truscott (Hugh Dancy) journeys to a remote village in colonial Malaysia to educate and Westernize the local Iban population. There, he is introduced to Selima (Jessica Alba), a lovely Iban woman. In keeping with tradition, Selima is assigned to sleep with John and teach him the native language and customs. But when they begin to fall in love, both the colonists and the natives object to their plans to marry.