Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) User Reviews

Cinderella of the Far East

[nycritic · 7/10 · 22 January 2006]

Asian dramas -- even the ones involving fantasy fighting -- have a certain lushness and a complex texture that I believe only Asian directors can truly capture. So having Rob Marshall, a very American director, step in, is a risk, and for two-thirds of the picture he mutes the frenetic editing and lurid visuals used in CHICAGO, slows the pace of the narration, and achieves the goal in making his vision look as authentic as possible.

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA has a lot of Charles Dickens in its storyline. The tale of Chiyo, the little girl who is sold by her mother to a geisha house, her trials and tribulations, her knowledge and yearning of true love and success as a geisha is almost identical to the Dickensian universe. It even evolves in a similar manner, and its more effective moments are the ones involving Chiyo as a girl (Suzuka Ohgo) becoming friends (and later enemies) with Pumpkin, not understanding why she is in this strange house, why she has been separated from her sister whom she frantically tries to seek out, or why the geisha Hatsumomo (Gong Li) is so mean to her. One touching scene, which becomes the focus of Chiyo's drive, is when she encounters this "prince" of a man, the Chairman (Ken Watanabe). The smile he coaxes out her sad face is the most luminous moment in the entire film, and this event makes Chiyo want to become a better person and reunite with the Chairman. They do meet later on, but the movie mutes their romance after she becomes the geisha Sayori (Zhang Ziyi), and in trying to keep him distant in a casual way -- they don't share as much as a stilted conversation -- somewhat works against the believability of their mutual but restrained love.

What does work is the subtext within the relationships between the two other women and Sayori, intended or not. Hatsumomo explodes in rage against Sayori after being successfully put down the night of her debut that has hints a little of repressed lesbianism. Notice the way Hatsumomo lashes out like a snake: it also seems as if she would be ready to kiss her at any second. Also noteworthy is the relationship that Sayori develops with her mentor Mameha (Michelle Yeoh). I loved it because I've seen Ziyi and Yeoh play rivals in CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON and it was great to see them interact in a completely different way, one that indicates Mameha was the replacement for the sister Sayori lost, one who also lost a chance at love and happiness, and who only knows the life of a geisha.

Where the film falters, somewhat, is in trying to tie in all of the story lines once the last half hour arrives. The invasion of World War II, while intending to show how times change and traditions morph, somehow didn't work on film as it must have on paper. I also felt that Pumpkin's late introduction as a very American-friendly whore with double intentions could have been handled better and seemed to belong in another movie with comic overtones. Granted that her character had becomes, as the mistress of the geisha house had predicted, Hatsumomo's puppet via her actions, but I felt it slowed the story down a little. Another character who did an about-face was Nobu's (Koji Yakusho). There was little-to-no indication he had any interest in Sayori and more than once he rebuffed her or looked bored by her. His sudden declaration of love comes too abrupt and I didn't quite buy it. But it's the problem with staying too close to the source material: sometimes you have to tweak it a little while maintaining its essence.

As usual, there is some fantastic subtle acting from the three leading ladies, all film veterans in their native China and Malaysia, as well as in Ken Watanabe and Koji Yakusho. Yes, it's thirty minutes too long. Yes, the love story is marginal at best. And yes, it would have benefited better had it been done in its native tongue with subtitles, but that would have been at the expense of it having limited availability. However, it is a sumptuous, gorgeous film about the triumph of the spirit of this one girl against the odds around her. And it even has a happy ending.

A worthy big screen experience

[xiayun · 8/10 · 17 December 2005]

Going into the film, I had worries with all the slamming critics have given, even though I didn't read all of them in details. However, I'm happy to say it turns out to be one of more satisfying movie experiences of the year.

First I echo the sentiment that the film is simply technically perfect. The retro-mood it created had me immensed in the world of geisha from beginning to the end. It's very 1930 Shanghai like. The music score isn't as haunting as the one in CTHD, but it is still masterfully composed and fits in the background very well. It's worth seeing for the big screen experience alone. The story also never dragged, as each of the three parts flowed nicely. I normally don't like voice-over, but here it really held the movie together and helped to move the story along.

As for the accents, the problem has definitely been exaggerated. I was expecting a lot of unpleasant broken English to be spoken, but they all sounded fine to good, not just from the most fluent Michelle Yeoh, but Ken Watanabe, Youki Kudoh (who plays Pumpkin) and other supporting casts. Gong Li had a few awkward lines at the beginning, and Ziyi had more and is the one who had to try the hardest, but both pulled off admirably and didn't hurt their performances in the process.

Talking about performances, I think almost all of them did well. It's much more of an ensemble piece, and I was especially impressed by the young Sayuri and Ken Watanabe.

The main problem I have is with character development. It is a Cinderella story at heart, but the good and evil are too clear-cut and lack dimension. I also want to see more ups and downs for the competition between Ziyi and Gong Li. Gong did all she could, but the script didn't allow her to be a worthy opponent. Except for some verbal back-and-forth between the two and a few dirty tricks from Gong, there was no reason to believe why she was the most famous geisha in Japan before Ziyi arrived.

In addition, the Mother character is over-the-top and didn't fit the emotional aspect the film quite well, although she did provide some comical moments. The big dance scene had excellent buildup, but the execution of the dance felt flat. It lasted only about 30 seconds, while doubling that and making it more mesmerizing would have made the whole middle act more effective.

These flaws didn't overshadow the fact that what was put on screen worked for me. Will I be willing to watch it again with friends? In a heartbeat. Will I recommend it to others? Definitely. With that in mind, I give the film an A-.

A Visually and Musically Stunning Film

[gradyharp · 8/10 · 21 February 2006]

Why there is so much polarity with the audiences of Rob Marshall's cinematic adaptation of Arthur Golden's exquisite novel MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA is puzzling. Even in the theater there were those who left halfway through - reason unknown. Despite disagreements on the casting techniques and on the emphasis changes between the book and the film, MEMOIRS remains one of the most visually arresting, genteel films of the year. That it comes across as somewhat of an epic soap opera is no one's fault but the writers. And what is so wrong with an old-fashioned soap opera of a story afterall? The opening scene of the turbulent sea and heavy rain that accompany the silent selling of two poor sisters to a merchant planning to place the girls in houses in Osaka gives an indication of the importance of water in this story. The sisters are delivered to a house of geishas and only one is selected by the hard madam. Through years of suffering and anguish the chosen one becomes a geisha, finds comfort from her childhood of poverty, gains loving mentoring by a top geisha, becomes the most sought after geisha in Osaka, finds her love, endures WW II and eventually returns to her dreams. The interplay between the girl and the various members of the geisha training and bartering complex add flavor and conflict that keep the story flowing.

The three principal actresses - Ziyi Zhang, Michelle Yeoh, and Gong Li carry the film well. The large cast includes favorite actors Ken Watanabe and Mako. The settings are splendid, the special effects such as the cherry blossoms, the autumnal reunion of Zhang and Watanabe, Zhang's spellbinding dance - all are brilliant. John Williams' musical score blends the best of Japanese folk music with contemporary writing and is greatly abetted by the talent of Yo-Yo Ma and Itzak Perlman.

Part of the brilliance of Golden's novel was the meticulous explanation of the myriad details of geisha training and demeanor and makeup and tradition, and while the film version touches on these, the bulk of them are passed over. For this viewer there is a problem with understanding the dialogue due to the enunciation by the actors and the covering of much of the dialogue with ambient music. But that is a minor complaint. In all, MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA is an enormously beautiful and affecting film, one that multiple viewings will no doubt enhance the viewers' appreciation. Recommended. Grady Harp, February 06

Duel in the Rising Sun

[Tony43 · 13 December 2005]

Looking over previous comments here, it is clear that this is a very polarizing movie experience, one that seems to put "Syriana" to shame in that realm. Director Rob Marshall has taken a best selling novel and turned out a feature film that it appears some people love and some absolutely hate. Count me in the first category, but allow me to indulge the critics, too.

First, this isn't a typical Hollywood film. Despite popular western misconceptions about Geishas, there's no sex, almost no violence and beyond that, there's nearly two and a half hours of women's problems that many men may find hard to relate to. This is not "Desperate Housewives" or even "All my Children." This is about deceit, treachery and rivalries as much as it is about a little girl who gets sold into bondage by her impoverished Japanese family. Its also about a lifelong search for love in a society in which people apparently can't just step up and make frank declarations of devotion to one another. This movie is in a word "complicated" and that is going to turn some American movie goers off.

But not all Asian film fans are raving about this movie either, some thinking it is a very superficial look at Japnese customs and others incensed that a movie that's about an important Japanese tradition should star three Chinese actresses. I cannot comment on either topic, since I know little or nothing about Japanese tradition and I don't know why Ziyi Zhang, Michelle Yoeh and Gong Li were cast. They have been seen before by American audiences, but are hardly film stars in this country, so it wasn't as if they were going to draw in tons of fans on their names alone.

The only thing I can think of is, all three are fine actresses and they more than proved that in this film. If Gong Li does not get a best supporting actress nomination, there's no justice. And Zhang should probably get a crack at best actress for her work, as well.

All three just light up the screen.

But, I can understand in this age of political correctness, how some would be offended by the casting and how others might complain about the handling of the Japanese subject matter.

All I can say is, movie makers face trade offs and one is either targeting your film to a mass audience (and in America, that means a generally poorly educated audience) or "narrow casting" your film to people very well acquainted with the topic who will swoop down on any flaw. But that, when dealing with a topic like Japanese geisha culture, is a pretty small audience in America, too small to generate the kind of box office a film like this needs to pull in to pay for itself. From a purely Anglo, American, unschooled in Japanese culture standpoint, I think Marshall made good decisions. I hope he has not slighted Japanese culture too much, but I think he has made a suspenseful, captivating, enchanting film that does something a lot of films haven't in recent years.

He gave us a complex central character we can pull for throughout the film and for that, I thank him.

"Memoirs of a Geisha" ranks among my five best films of the year thus far, and deserves a best picture nomination.

A Top-Notch Eye Candy

[kate_lee-movie · 6/10 · 24 November 2005]

Can a group of American men and Chinese actresses render the world of a Japanese geisha? The answer is yes, with stunning beauty … and regrettable flaws.

Truth be told, this movie was not as bad as its trailer led me to expect it to be. It had a story to tell (although it crumbles in the end),images to show, and material to present. There were ample displays of exquisite beauty -- the trailing tails of silk kimonos, the subtle allure of hand gestures, and the captivating scene of kabuki dance theater ...

On the other hand, the American director was not able to pull the Japanese out of Chinese actresses. (This movie was so crowded by famous Chinese idols that I found myself inadvertently searching for Joan Chen among the cast.) To be fair, all three main actors (Gong Li in particular) show strong performances that made me sympathetic to Rob Marshall's choices. However, they remain utterly Chinese throughout this movie. The look and accent are not the only problems. They lacked the kind of extreme femininity and excessive felicity of the delicately mechanical gesture and movements of traditional Japanese ladies you see in custom dramas of Japanese production. (Michelle Yeoh seems to be the only one trying a little bit of those, but it did not quite work for some reason.)

So, let me re-address the question: Can a group of American men and Chinese actresses render the world of a geisha? The answer, I guess, really depends on what you are looking for. If you would like a little bit of delight from an aesthetically pleasing picture with a dubious authenticity and realism, this movie delivers it. I would not say Rob Marshall failed completely. Memoirs of a Geisha is not the first, nor the last, movie that subjects another culture to the crude lens of American exoticism. It definitely is not the worst one.

Breathtaking from the first scene

[kyaroko · 9/10 · 8 December 2005]

I lived in Japan for 3 years and I loved the book, rich with visual imagery. I went to the see the movie with a good deal of trepidation, convinced that they were going to butcher it and sex it up to appeal to American audiences. Instead I sat spellbound in my seat as I watched the images that Arthur Golden has created in my mind with words years before, play themselves out on the screen in front of me. Every shot, ever scene, every tiny detail was just beautiful. I literally did not look away from the screen the entire time. The acting wasn't spectacular. I think they could have found somebody better to play Sayuri. The children were all wonderful. The stand-out actress by far was Gong Li as Hatsumomo. The villain had the best opportunities to show her skills as a thespian. The plot stuck very closely to the book. They eliminated the scenes that they needed to in the interest of time, but they didn't try to take any shortcuts or speed up the plot. I really felt like the story was played out beginning to end without sacrificing any of the meat. You'll read a lot of reviews in the coming weeks praising the gorgeous photography. Every word is true. Words like "lush" and "exquisite" only begin to do it justice. I've never had the experience of being transported to another time by a movie in quite this way.

It lacked the emotion that makes the story of the Geisha so great.

[fluturoj · 6/10 · 17 April 2017]

I have read the book and as such I was very excited to watch the movie. Given that Les Miserables and Great Gatsby were amazing adaptions of the book I was expecting something similar from this one but was I wrong. The main problem with this adoption is that it lacks the emotion with which Geisha tells the story. She hates it, finds this whole world bizarre but in the movie we do not see it. It is shown as something she finds normal and adapts to it. There is emotion of dislike towards geishas expressed. Maybe the creators were being careful not to insult the culture but without that emotion and Chiyos attitude towards Geishas, the movie looses that what made the book so great.

Real-life link: if you are not a modern undefended woman, you fate depends on others and sadly mainly rich man.

Plausibility: A 14 year old falls for an older men because the men shows him kindness but why would an old men like the Chairmen fall for a kid so that he sends Mameha to help her become a geisha without being a pedo? There is something shady here that does not fit. But that has more to do with the book then the movie.

Storytelling: Follows the book nicely, with the exception that it leaves out the reason why the father sells the girls and that it ends quickly without telling that the chairmen and Chiyo get together and have kids and she moves the states.

Casting/ Acting: I liked the fact that the actors were not Westerns but what bugged me a bit was their accent, why would you not cast American actors with the same background to get rid of the accent?

Overall, it lacked the emotion that makes the story of the Geisha so great.

I didn't want to spoil my great memories of the book.

[robinhio84_ · 10/10 · 18 July 2022]

As someone thet has treasured the book, I will be honest. At first I didn't want to watch it. This could have gone wrong in so many ways. But the movie has blown me away.

Many laugh's, moments of deep emotion and true heart must have been put in this movie. And the moments of joy, fun and above all pain and even some tearing happened to me.

It is absolutely beautiful. 10/10 in my life I have ranked over 1130 films and have given a 10 to less then twenty movies, but this must be amongst to top 5 best ones.

I mean wow, the film is so beautiful.

Rivalries

[jotix100 · 7/10 · 10 December 2005]

Arthur Golden's novel "Memoirs of a Geisha" deserved a better fate. This immensely satisfying book got a tepid adaptation by Robin Swicord and Doug Wright, and it begs for a better screen play than what was chosen to be shown on the screen. Director Bob Marshall's next venture after his successful and popular "Chicago" seemed, at least on paper, like the right candidate to be in command of the film version of the book, but what he has created seems to have become an oriental soap opera, at best.

The story is narrated in the first person by Sayuri who has been sold by their impoverished father. The novel is a chronicle of how Sayuri learns to become a geisha and her rivalry with the queen of them all, Hatsumomo. Also it is about the relationship between Suyuri and the Chairman. Hatsumomo's competition is the beautiful Mameha, who takes Suyuri under her wing and shows her the ropes. The Chairman and Nobu are the men in and out of this story who change Suyuri's life for the best.

The casting of Ziyi Zhang as Suyuri doesn't pay off. Ms. Zhang is a beautiful creature to look at, but in this film, her acting appears to be empty, in sharp contrast with her appearance in "2046". Gong Li, another beautiful woman, appears in all her fury to challenge her position as the queen that she has always been when Sayuri comes on her own. She is a caricature of the character that she is trying to portray, no doubt guided by the director, in a performance that seems campy in its flavor. Michelle Yeoh, Ken Watanabe and Koji Yakusho do what they can in a film where the center of attraction are Ms. Zhang and Ms. Li.

The basic flaw of the film is the dialogue that feels so foreign it might have been written in another language. The different accents of the cast doesn't help matters because they speak in a sort of British English that is a distraction. The wonderful costumes are by Colleen Atwood who dresses the women in silks and makes them look fantastic. The cinematography of Dion Beebe is an asset too. The haunting musical score is by John Williams, a man who knows how to enhance a film with the right sounds.

"Memoirs of a Geisha" under the direction of Rob Marshall is a spectacle directed to fans of the book, who will surely flock to see the film, but alas, they will not find the essence of Mr. Golden's novel in the finished product.

more than everyone is saying

[chaeyoung · 9/10 · 31 December 2005]

personally, i don't know what everyone was so anxious about before viewing this movie. i had heard a lot of praise about the cinematography and the depth and emotion of the storyline. who cares if the actors were of different race? i know a lot of people will take offense to that, but being an Asian-American myself, it didn't bother me too much, since it wasn't what i thought of while watching the movie. who has time to think of different dialects and someone being Chinese when a beautiful story of the life of a geisha is being told.

i thought maybe the movie would not live up to the book, but i felt the adaptation was done well. although some of the casting could have been done better, i got chills from mother, angry at hatsumomo, and grew respect for the character of mameha, just as i had from the book. the movie did a fine job establishing the highly disciplined world of a geisha, a world where many sacrifices are to be made.

all in all, the movie was fantastic, and if people could just look beyond the issue of worrying about the nationality of a character who is supposed to be Japanese (and to me, its not a huge issue) I'm sure you will enjoy the movie.

A tantalising taste of something it's not

[Chris_Docker · 6/10 · 6 January 2006]

It would be lovely to find a beautiful verse for the spirit of a Geisha's Memoirs.

The butterfly is perfuming - It's wings in the scent - Of the orchid.

This haiku (a 17 syllable epigrammatic verse) by one of Japan's greatest poets (Basho Matsuo) seems at first glance to have little to it. So runs much of Japanese art, perfected to painstaking rules, yet requiring a degree of learning simply to appreciate, soul-piercing when understood. In Memoirs of a Geisha, we must be forgiven for expecting a glimpse, some aid to understanding, some hint of passion, for the difficult-to-fathom and obscure world of Japan, of geisha, representatives of artistic excellence and recipients of passionate devotion, and maybe some reference to what was a less glamorous side to their institution (and one personified in the Western stereotype).

The filmmakers went to considerable lengths - top Asian actors, a decorated director and cinematographer, music by the multi-accoladed John Williams; and the film follows on from the hugely successful novel. So does it stand up?

Firstly, it is visually stunning, not only with rural and urban scenery rarely seen in the West but with impressive use of colour and lighting. In one scene, as Sayuri makes her debut in a leading part at the theatre, we are treated to a fabulous dramatic entrance suggesting classical posture and make-up. It is the bright lights and fast cameras that director Rob Marshall used to such effect in Chicago. We follow a young girl from the time she is sold by her parents, through her apprenticeship and graduation as a geisha, and then through the onset of war and its aftermath. It has the exotic appeal of, say, the King and I or other successful movies that use an unknown culture to bring spice to a simple love story. It will delight many audiences. But as anything more serious it plummets as fast as a wingless bird.

Although there are moments of tension, such as the theatre performance, the sumo wrestling match or the jealous rage of a competitor geisha, much of the pacing (especially in the first third) is lacklustre, like someone telling a story at a continuous speed (much of the background is told in voice-over). Opportunities for dramatic excitement are easily missed with such a format. Telling the story takes much time: there is little left for character development, so it is hard to identify with the pain and triumphs of even our heroine.

A very modest brush with Japanese culture shows this movie lacks authenticity in its most crucial aspects. You cannot cast a film star in a part that requires a lifetime study or the equivalent of a university degree without considerable technical finesse. It would be like asking Richard Gere to dance a couple of scenes from Nureyev. But it gets worse. Everyday details are sloppy and unreflective of Japanese culture. Most obvious perhaps, the make-up employed by the film's 'geisha' is instantly recognisable as quite ordinary, not the sort that takes hours to apply.

In A Beautiful Mind, director Ron Howard took a mysterious subject (mathematics) and made it exciting to non-mathematicians. Other directors have dealt similarly with obscure arts or strange worlds and let us glimpse hitherto unknown regions, often adding a love story for good measure. Producer Steven Spielberg however, (in the film's production notes) confesses to a different objective: "I was very moved by the love story, by the rivalry . . . and by the test of friendship." Japanese culture is mentioned only in passing. The aim was not to introduce us to something new but something that's "relevant to people in every county."

They gave up before they started. Instead of highly developed Japanese traditions, we get lowest common denominators, and even the 'love story' fails to pass muster as the context (a society in those days of arranged marriages) is imperfectly explained. It could be in America – just change the country, add a mix of oriental costumes and languages, plus homage to a well-known book (and lots of highly paid talent that sadly lacks artistic integrity) and you have a winning Hollywood formula.

It is one thing to 'include' lurid details such auctioning a maidenhead – it is another thing altogether to miss the main point.

But has the movie really missed such an opportunity? It might be worth examining, even to see if this film is actually an insult to Japanese culture.

Ancient Japanese entertainers would perform for the nobility and some females even became concubines to the emperor. The first female geisha were simply dancers or musicians. They soon became popular enough to be able to steal clients from courtesans. They flourished as artists and entertainers and soon became fashion leaders – a bit like western 'supermodels.' In today's Japan, geishas are accorded considerable respect for their accomplishments and what they represent. Being in the presence of a geisha is a remarkable experience – as if royalty had suddenly walked into the room, one feels thrown against the wall with a sense of awe. A man simply seeking a beautiful courtesan or a mere hostess could find one at a fraction of the price.

Memoirs of a Geisha is a tantalising taste of something it's not. It neither informs nor satisfies, but entertains sumptuously if simplistically. It will please many less discerning audiences as well as critics or award voters who review a movie by means of DVD – it has a lush play of colour that will transfer to the small screen together with a low attention-span requirement that allows you to make the coffee. But it is about as far from the memoirs of any geisha as the instant coffee will be from the beautiful ritual of the Japanese tea ceremony. The film, like a Japanese haiku, doesn't seem to have much to it: unlike a Japanese haiku though, it really doesn't.

Beautiful Film

[soupdragon37713 · 10/10 · 13 February 2006]

I was initially dubious about going to see this film after I read a lot of mixed reviews. However, I am glad that I decided to just bite the bullet and go see it. This is one of the most visually stunning and entrancing films I have ever seen, with a wonderful storyline which had me clutching the edge of my seat in sheer frustration! I absolutely loved the love story that was central to the film, although I was a bit worried by the age gap. lol. It made me really want a snow cone though. I thought Zhang Ziyi was fantastic in the part of Sayuri, and she made the character very endearing and real. I am a big fan of Ken Watanabe, and it was good to see him in a part like this; the relationship was very believable and I thought they were both great. In fact, all the actors in this film did their characters justice and helped to make the film as beautiful and Oscar-worthy as it is. I just loved the story and all the sets that provided a wonderful backdrop for such an emotional, powerful tale. I recommend this to everyone! It's THAT good!

Good adaptation about a famous novel with complete oriental casting

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 7 February 2006]

Chiyo (Suzuka) is a child who lives along with parents (Mako) a miserable life in a impoverished fishing village. She is sold to a Geisha house (Tsai Chin) in Kyoto suffering misfortunes, odds, brutal treatment and humiliations , especially by the principal Geisha, Hatsumomo (Gong Li). Once grown up (Zhang Ziyi) she is saved by her rival Mameha (Michelle Yeoh) . She'll work in laborious activities until achieve being the Japan's most celebrated Geisha confronting the jealous contender (Gong Li).

From the starting point are described emotions , records and infancy images ; continuing her adult epoch and success as a Geisha until the second world war and after time in that protagonist attempt to go on the ancient way-of-life , thus problems are always cropping up , depeloping conflicts between tradition and modernism . The picture is plenty of inventive and stimulating images and develops a complex human drama , a love story and being pretty moving. The film is a nice rendition of a famed bestseller written by Arthur Golden and lavishly produced by Steven Spielberg and Douglas Wick. It's colorfully and stunningly photographed by Dion Beebe . Brilliant and luxurious costume design was realized by Collem Atwood , besides wonderful Japanese houses and gardens with lush production design. Evocative and atmospheric music with oriental sounds by master composer John Williams who in that year (2004) made four excellent musical scores : War of the words ,Star Wars, Munich and this movie . The motion picture was rightly directed by Rob Marshall. Well worth watching for the cinematography and gowns. Rating : Above average.

Memoirs of a Liar

[geishainkyoto · 1/10 · 18 January 2007]

Arthur Golden studied in Japan, gathering information for Memoirs of a Geisha, and spoke with Iwasaki Mineko, a retired geiko (geisha). Mineko-san talked with Golden for hours, telling him her life story, answering her every question, on one condition: that she remain anonymous. But Arthur Golden did not keep her concealed. No, at the end of his book, he credited her as his 'inspiration'. But did he stop there? No. He told the public that Mineko-san sold her virginity for a record price, which she did not. Mizuage, which Golden portrays as a ceremonial deflowering of the young geisha, was actually a right of passage where a young geisha's hair was cut. From then on she would wear a wig while performing, and it symbolized maturity. Mizuage was never sexual for geisha. The only time mizuage was a sexual term, was when it referred to Oiran or Tayuu (Japanese courtesans). Perhaps this is a cause of some confusion. But what saddens me, is that Golden, a Harvard grad, had the potential to write an accurate book about geisha. But I suppose he was willing to trade honesty for cash and publicity, like most of us these days. And, because of him, many geisha today must explain to foreigners that their services do not include sex. I really hope to shed led on the dishonesty of Memoirs, both film and book.

Hollywood's creative invention - feminine version of "The last samurai".

[harry_tk_yung · 13 January 2006]

Just as "The last samurai" is Hollywood's imagination of what the world of samurai and bushido is like, "Memoirs of a geisha" is Hollywood's imagination of the world of geisha. Both are way off the mark.

I have not read the book, but can only hope that it does not descend to the brainless depiction of geisha as glorified prostitutes who can also entertain with dancing and singing, but nothing more. For better insight, watch "My Geisha" (1962) staring two of the best stars we've ever had, Shirley MacCaine and Yves Montand. A true geisha is trained to be an all-round companion fitting for the most sophisticated environment, able to hold an intelligent conversation as easily on international finance and as on the Major League, and any subject in-between.

Turning to the movie, enough have been said elsewhere about the art direction ("It's not a movie, it's a fashion show" quipped Philadelphia Weekly). I'll concentrate on the acting, but not before straightening out another muddled thinking that comes up in almost every discussion of this movie – the language barrier.

Some contend that because the actresses portray Japanese, inadequate English such as ZHANG Ziyi's is acceptable. In that line of reasoning, you can't find thinking that is more muddled. In Doctor Zhivago, everybody is supposed to be speaking Russian. In the Hollywood movie, English is the proxy for Russian and there's nothing wrong with it. But it's NOT about Russians speaking English. It's about Russians speaking fluent Russian, only that it's presented to the movie audience in English. There is absolutely no excuse for the English we hear in Dr. Zhivago to be less than perfectly fluent.

It's exactly the same situation with "Memoirs". Zhang speaking in broken English means that her character Sayuri speaks in broken Japanese, which is totally inconceivable. What is even worse is that of the three lead actresses, while the English of ZHANG Ziyi and GONG Li is severely limited, Michelle Yeoh's English is her mother tongue, or at least one of her mother tongues. This results in an inconsistency that is almost painful to behold (or to hear, to be exact). One would almost wish that Yeoh would lower her level of English to match with the other two's so that the inconsistency wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb every time she has a dialogue with them.

Another way of looking at this is that Zhang and Gong perform with a handicap, which can be interpreted as a compliment. Consider the last scene when Sayuri delivers her long-awaited expression of love to The Chairman, something to the effect that ever since meeting him on the bridge, she has been focusing her life on moving towards him. I'm sure someone told Zhang what the English words she spoke means but there is absolutely no conviction in her annunciation of the words, which came out almost like a jumble of meaningless sounds. I don't blame her for that because it takes time to fully immerse in a new language. Her good acting (facial expression etc) actually salvages the situation a little bit.

As to the rest of the cast, despite the high praises Gong receives, she has not really been challenged in this movie, being given a somewhat stereotyped role. Her recent role in "Eros" offers considerably more. Michelle Yeoh, beautiful as she is, looks too modern and "western" to be a geisha. But these three are not the only, or even the most interesting, women to watch. The owner of the geisha house is marvellously well played. It's very easy to succumb to turning this role into a comical, lifeless caricature. The actress playing this role did a superb job in making this a character of flesh and blood, someone that you can understand, albeit despise a little. Playing Pumpkin is Youki Kudoh who had proved that she could act, way back in Snow Falling on Cedars (1999). Best of all, however, is Suzuka Ohgo who plays Chiyo, that is, young Saruyi.

As to the men, it's interesting to see the two key player swapping roles. Typical gentleman Koji Yakusho (Shall we dansu, Lost paradise, The eel, Warm water under a red bridge) now plays the uncouth Nobu while macho Ken Watanabe (The last samurai) is the gentle "Chairman". All goes to show how versatile these two actors are.

All told, "Memoirs" is an entertaining movie, but a little too long. The early portion on the childhood of Saruyi (when she was called Chiyo) can but cut down, but then Suzuka Ohgo is so good! The main section is melodramatic, and okay if you like that sort of thing. The last part offers some nice (and mild) surprises, but it's certainly sweet to see the fulfilment of the little girl's initial infatuation, which became her entire purpose of life. No harm in romanticising a little – it's Hollywood after all. But the language problem really takes a lot away. If I had a choice, I would rather see it in Japanese, with subtitles.

Disappointing

[davegering · 6/10 · 10 July 2006]

When I was young, I saw "The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea," and I remember thinking that the movie seemed more Asian than English in theme. Only later did I discover that it was actually written by Yukio Mishima, and was, indeed, purely Asian as originally conceived.

Watching "Memoirs of a Geisha" last night, I was nagged by the opposite thought, i.e., that although this movie was set in Japan, it was thematically more aligned to the West. Even the geisha makeup seemed softened to western tastes, with the eyes and mouth accented in a very un-Japanese manner, and the amount of white face powder greatly reduced. Picture sort of a Noh version of a Charles Dickens story, or more appropriately, a Harlequin Romance.

For make no doubt about it, this is a chick flick, containing catty women scheming against each other, improbable love triangles, women seeking inner fulfillment and wallowing in self-pity when their dreams appear to be out of reach, and just incidentally, a plot hole you could push a cow through sideways.

Regarding this last comment (and here comes a spoiler), Sayuri is chagrined when Pumpkin brings the Chairman, rather than Nobu, to her dalliance with the American colonel. Since the Chairman and Nobu are partners, did she think the Chairman wouldn't hear about it from Nobu? In point of fact, Nobu certainly heard about it from some third party. So how did Sayuri think she could be appear a slut to Nobu while still remaining pure to the Chairman? It makes no sense at all, and appears to be merely a plot contrivance to get the characters where the screenwriter wants them for the even more improbable climax (which should have been omitted entirely).

Adding to the problems is a pacing which just plods along. I found myself looking at my watch a number of times, wondering if anything would ever happen, or for that matter, if the movie would ever end.

Why, then, do I give the movie six stars? Well, two are for the photography, which is superb throughout, and one is for John William's score, which while it is not terribly Japanese, is nevertheless effective. That leaves just three stars for the story.

On balance, there are better ways to spend an evening.

Beautiful Romance

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 10 December 2006]

In Japan of the 20's, the nine years old Chyio (Suzuka Ohgo) and her sister Satsu (Samantha Futerman) are sold by her fisherman father to a Geisha house in Miyako. Satsu is not accepted in the house and is sent to a brothel, and along the years, Satsu escapes from he brothel where she lived and the rebel Chyio is left alone, becoming a slave of a geisha. However, six years later, she learns how to become the geisha Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang) with the support of the successful Mameha (Michelle Yeoh), while fighting against the evil and jealousy of the wicked Hatsumomo (Gong Li). While still a child, Chyio falls in love with The Chairman (Ken Watanabe), and in the post-WWII, they meet each other, in a period o changes in Japan with the occupying American forces and the country completely destroyed.

The first half of "Memoirs of a Geisha" is a beautiful drama, telling the story of the country girl Chyio alone and adapting to a new life style in a house of geisha. Then, in the end of World War II, the screenplay becomes a soap-opera and the story becomes lesser and lesser attractive. However, the cinematography, the art direction and the costume design are amazing along the whole movie. But the cast speaking in English and keeping some Japanese words seems quite ridiculous for me. For such a careful production, this seems to be an unforgivable mistake. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Memórias de uma Gueixa" ("Memoirs of a Geisha")

Quite enjoyed it!

[hirokon-1 · 7/10 · 29 January 2006]

Having read the book a few years ago and being a bit of a Ziyi fan I just had to see the film. And I wasn't disappointed. I think Rob Marshall did a wonderful job creating a visually beautiful fairytale with a very strong cast. The film was very faithful to the book and even kept the ending I didn't like. I thought the Chinese actresses were quite believable as Japanese and gorgeous, and although, as some reviewers have said, the actors' broken English could not be understood at times, their acting made up for it. It was certainly an entertaining film--a story of a determined young girl (played by a very convincing child actor!) blossoming into a beautiful geisha despite many difficulties.

I am actually quite surprised by the number of people (including a lot of Japanese) who criticise the film for its inaccuracy on the portrayal of Geisha culture. Okay, so the film is not accurate, but Geisha culture is as much a mystery to the Japanese as it is to the Western world. Very little is known about what happened inside the closed world of Gion where the story takes place. Only some of the privileged and respected men were allowed into the teahouses (where geisha entertained men) and it was forbidden for geishas to talk about what went on in the teahouses (Thank god someone broke the rules or we would have never known their story!!).

Actually some of my relatives used to run teahouses in Gion, however I know very little because sadly they went out of business after the War like other teahouses in the film or started what Mameha (played by the very gracious Michelle Yeoh) did 'renting rooms'. The fact is Gion has dwindled into such a sad state these days. Many teahouses, except for the very best, have become merely overpriced souvenir shops and hotels; and real geishas are outnumbered by tourist 'instant geishas' who have no elegance at all (who are comparable to some of the minor geishas in the film).

Anyway, it is unjust to point out what the film did wrong just because it is a Hollywood film. It would be very difficult for a Japanese film maker to recreate an accurate picture of Gion on film anyway. In that sense, I think it was a benefit to the film in not having a Japanese director or Japanese actresses. It liberated it from the burden of portraying Geishas accurately and created a more fairytale-like story.

Not to discredit the filmmakers--- they obviously made a lot of effort in making some of the details very believable. I was quite impressed with the quality of the set. I think it captured the darkness and light of Gion very well. The narrow backstreets and the gloomy okiya (where geishas lived) were believable--my relative's teahouse where they still live is indeed very dark and suffocating by day, but at night the district lights up prettily. Another detail not to be missed: the sumo scene. They actually have a very famous retired sumo wrestler performing!

Anyway, overall I think it's very much worth seeing so don't be put-off by the negative reviews!

Gets better every time I see it

[Vartiainen · 10/10 · 12 July 2012]

A movie that sort of grows on you. I remember thinking that this was an okay piece of film-making the first I saw this, but then I saw it a second and a third time and I was honestly completely blown away. Nowadays this is one of my favourite movies. And I still haven't quite pinpointed just what it was that I missed the first time and realized during the following viewings. The obvious signs of a good movie were there from the beginning. The superb actors, the rich scenery and the attention to detail, the intriguing story that never quite goes the way you expect, the atmosphere that convinces you that you really are there or at least that you should be there - they were all there. And yes, I've seen some people complaining that this doesn't give an accurate image of the 20th century Japan and the geisha culture. Well, to you I say that I'm pretty sure that The Sound of Music quite gleefully dismisses some facts about the 20th century Austria during the war and I'm pretty sure that the Inglourious Basterds is nowhere near the truth when it comes to the war in France. The fact is that all of these films are entertainment. They will tweak the facts, they will ignore some details and make up their own if it makes the story flow better. And I, for one, am totally cool with that. Embellish all you want if it produces a film of this quality.

For me this is one of those movies that suck you in. That allow you to live a few hours of your life in a foreign strange place that is perhaps a bit dark and threatening, yet it feels like you've lived there your whole live. There's just enough familiarity in the way that these people struggle through their lives, their common and not-so-common squabbles, their morals, that it feels familiar, yet there's enough exotic, strange and awe-inspiring that it becomes interesting. And perhaps I just wasn't in the mood to be sucked in the first time I saw this one. Because that's what this movie requires. It needs you to sit back, enjoy the scenery and invest a moment of your life to these wonderful, cruel, heart-warming and enduring people that populate the streets of the geisha district. I promise you, if you manage that, you won't be disappointed.

Beautiful cinematography, sticky rehashed plot

[qwe123a · 6/10 · 9 December 2005]

Hollywood is at it again. All's well that ends well is the motto of this movie. Nothing more and nothing less.

You've got yourself the obligatory "how it all started" scene. In the words of George Constanza "the sea was angry that day my friends..." You've got yourself the obligatory child taken/child wants to run away/child gets hurt scene. You've got yourself the obligatory older man meets younger woman scene gives her money to buy some sweet ices (wink wink) You've got yourself the obligatory let's condense 20 years of schooling into 4 months and 3 minutes of celluloid ala Rocky (when I tried to implement this technique in college learning an entire semester in one afternoon was not as much fun for some reason) You've got yourself the obligatory pretty duckling turning in a pretty swan with the help of Mr. Miagi's female counterpart (unfortunately no waxing and no chopstick fly action in this movie) You've got yourself the obligatory disgusting American ala Animal House scene And of course, you've got yourself the obligatory happy ending (wishful thinking by the producers)

If you don't have much time but still want to watch a Charles Dickens movie, Karate Kid, Pretty Woman, Rocky, Flash Dance and Dirty Dancing then Memoirs of a Geisha is the perfect 2hr:20min summary.

The best film I've seen all year, and I've seen some great films.

[Nazimova23 · 10/10 · 14 December 2005]

This is the most unfairly maligned film of the year. Some critics took it upon themselves to be the defenders of Japanese culture (without fully researching their arguments) and, in the process, betrayed their own racism. "The film is inauthentic because the actresses do not wear matronly bouffants," one said. Riiiiiight. Matronly bouffants are a Western stereotype! But in any case, some of them do and some don't! THAT'S authenticity. I guess critics wouldn't know that writing reviews without seeing the film or walking out long before it's over (some, such as Jeff Wells, do).

Anyway, it's a fantastic film and more than deserving of multiple Academy award nominations - which it may not get thanks to the fact that so many people decided they wanted to use the film as the sacrificial lamb for a half-baked debate about international politics, rather consider that pan-Asian casting for major roles is NOTHING new (it's true of House of Flying Daggers, The Joy Luck Club and even Crouching Tiger) and that this film's production might represent international cooperation at its best.

Look out for Gong Li and Youki Kudoh in RICHLY developed supporting roles. The supporting males, while obviously not as well developed since they spend less time in the geisha quarters, still give incredible performances. Ken Watanabe was excellent, but I particularly enjoyed the performance of the actor playing Nobu. Oprah is right about the sets and costumes; they (amongst other things) make you want to savor every moment of the film. Some people have argued that the brilliant colors make it seem like some sort of Orientalist fantasy. Truth is that this would only be the case if we saw a departure from a more sedate West to a flamboyant East; instead, the film opens in a rather sedate part of Japan and then takes us to the more colorful geisha district (which introduces this fascinating paradox of great suffering in a milieu of tremendous beauty). We know from Chicago that it's simply Rob Marshall's aesthetic to make everything the height of beauty, even if it's a slum. God forbid ENTERTAINMENT CIRCLES should be presented as visually spectacular! The film is by turns funny, moving and, yes, thrilling. Gasps in the audience for the film's third act gave way to sniffles. Ziyi Zhang really managed any language difficulties well; her face has this ripple effect when she's emoting. It's stunning to behold. If I were voting for the Oscars, I'd definitely give her a nomination at the very least. And homegirl can dance, too! Her performance and the film itself are not boring at all; audience members laughed when she was trying to be funny and sighed when she was suffering. IMO, too much happens in the film for it to get boring; there's a strong balance between the rivalries, the details about geisha entertainment and the romance. In the final scene, it all comes full circle. I won't tell you how. See for yourself.

My #1 film of the year. Brokeback Mountain, Chronicles of Narnia, Howl's Moving Castle, King Kong and Grizzly Man aren't far behind.

The cast was strong, but the show could have been better directed.

[thebeautifulones · 7/10 · 14 January 2006]

Rob Marshall did do justice to the book in terms of the screenplay, but the art direction simply fell short of my expectations.

Suzuka Ohgo portrayed her role as the young Chiyo very well. We see her innocence, her fear, but one thing we fail to see is that she is actually an intelligent girl, and in this way, the script does not do justice to young Chiyo. She did not demand to see her sister Satsu in her first meeting with Mother. In fact, the nickname Pumpkin, was given to Puumpkin by Chiyo, herself, and it caught on, a small detail which have shown viewers young Chiyo's gift with expression.

Zhang Ziyi portrayed her role of the older Chiyo, and later Sayuri well. Her expression in her dance, her smile, her passion was captured brilliantly by Ziyi. But while she may have done well in those areas, it is difficult to get a Chinese girl to portray a Japanese role.

Kaori Momoi portrayed her role as Mother well. She was shrewd and calculative, attributes which served her very well, especially during the war years.

As with every book to film transition, there are inaccuracies, but the version on film manages to stay quite true to the character development in the book, except for one role, i.e., the role of Hatsumomo.

Hatsumomo was a very scheming woman in the book, and the role, unfortunately, was poorly executed by Gong Li, and admittedly, quite badly written as well.

Mameha's role was surprisingly played well by Michelle Yeoh, even though she looked nothing like the Mameha in the book. But she played her role with such conviction and passion, and well, Michelle does have the look of a mentor, so I suppose Rob Marshall did pick a good Mameha (in terms of character, but in terms of looks she was far off the mark). Every time I read the book, I think that Yui Natsukawa had the looks which matched quite close to Mameha in the book. Remake anyone? Youki Kudoh. Finally, another Japanese name. Why couldn't they get Japanese for all the roles? It puzzles me. She did justice to the role as Pumpkin. The girl who was Sayuri's best friend. The girl who became the favorite of the American soldiers because of her crude ways. The girl who betrayed Sayuri.

Ken Watanabe and Kôji Yakusho portrayed their roles well as the Chairman and Nobu. My only criticism about the script? Nobu isn't that unfriendly to Sayuri, and would never sell her off to the Americans as suggested. He honors friendship above all else.

The dialog between the Sayuri and the other characters was well written. I did not have trouble understanding Ziyi's English, nor Gong Li's English, but you can tell they had a bit of trouble speaking English in general.

The part that troubles me greatly is that General Tottori's name is mentioned, but it is not specified who he is. He is in fact (for those who have not read the book) Sayuri's first danna, and this made Nobu angry with Sayuri at first as he had always wanted to be Sayuri's danna.

The other thing that troubles me is that while the characters were shown to have aged, the Chairman seem to have stayed the same! Why, Rob Marshall, why? Some parts of the soundtrack (eg, when Sayuri is on the mountain, throwing away the handkerchief after the Chairman caught her with Colonel Derricks) sounded more Chinese than Japanese! Shigeru Umebayashi, you are hereby needed for the soundtrack if the show is ever remade! A show in desperate need of a remake. Get more Japanese names, please!

Beautiful.

[thomasreeve · 9/10 · 22 November 2005]

Just returned from a BAFTA preview screening of Memoirs of a Geisha, and it's certainly the best film I've seen this year so far (and there isn't exactly long left.) The performances are outstanding, everything about the physical setting and cinematography is breathtaking, and it's emotionally rich without feeling twee or sentimental.

The Q&A session also reinforced the fact that, despite this being an American-produced film of a novel by an American author, a great deal of both research, training and supervision on-set went into making, for example, the movements of the geisha as authentic as possible. The issue of non-Japanese actors playing Japanese roles was also addressed - Rob Marshall (the director) stated quite plainly that, as far as he was concerned, he wanted the best actors for the parts - I'm perfectly happy to give him the benefit of the doubt here, as the members of the cast in question acted their socks off. The reaction has, apparently, been equally positive in Japan, where actors like Ziyi Zhang are anything but unknown.

Certainly if you want to see a beautiful, thoughtful, emotional film centred around a little-understood but fascinating aspect of Japanese culture, see this as soon as possible.

Moments of magnificence

[triple8 · 7/10 · 19 May 2006]

SPOILERS THROUGH:

I finally saw this and thought it was well above average, if not perfect. I think there was such an enormous buzz generated by this film that people were maybe expecting absolute perfection. I know I originally was although after hearing a lot of lackluster reviews I actually went into this expecting something not so great so I was pleasantly surprised to discover it was actually very good. In my opinion memoirs was neither a bad movie or a masterpiece, it was something in between, although it did have some moments of utter and complete magnificence.

The things I liked include the visuals which as many have mentioned were lovely. This film was beautiful to look at and I also was intrigued by the story itself and found it both complex and very moving. The performers were all very good and the sweetness of the main character gets you involved. It's an emotional and very poignant story and I wish I'd seen it in the theater.

That being said, there were some things that really prevented me from finding this to be outstanding and took the movie down a little. One was the length. It's not necessarily that the film was to long, it's just that so much was covered and crammed into that time, that it's both distracting and very difficult to follow. Sometimes a storyline would be developed and then suddenly dropped in the next scene and something entirely new would develop. I think there was plenty of CHARACTER development but not necessarily enough STORY development. I'd have liked to see less jumping around and more focus on a few choice events because it did seem like the movie was cramming to much into the story and it didn't flow well. Maybe it could have been a little shorter as well. It was also REALLY difficult to follow and that made it difficult to enjoy the film to it's fullest potential.

I also found it difficult to hear a lot of what was being said. It seemed like people were speaking to softly or something and that to interfered with the enjoyment aspect. But I was so intrigued by the movie I , eventually, was able to enjoy it anyway.

But the biggest disappointment was where the story's focus was-or wasn't. We do not get to see much of the world of Geisha, it seems half the film is the Geisha training and a lot of the movie revolves around the arguing between the Geishas. Shouldn't we have gotten more of a Sense of the individuals themselves and got a sense of the lifestyle they all wanted so badly? That was a genuine surprise to me.

I also did not really think the love story was developed enough and the war is merely touched upon as well, though one plus is the movie's ability to show the difference between the Geisha before the war and after. That was actually done well.

So....there were pluses and minuses. Basically I really thought the movie focused to much on things it didn't need to and not enough on things it should have. In spite of that, there were moments of magnificence and I'd definitely recommend it for viewing as long as one doesn't go into it thinking their going to see the a perfect flawless picture. I'd call this an above average, though not excellent film with moments of complete magnificence. I'd also rate it a 7.5 out of 10.

Reminds me of Instant Lunch ramen...

[andrewjlau · 5/10 · 14 December 2005]

With all of the negative reviews in my mind as I walked into the theatre, I braced myself for the worst. It turns out that my opinion of the film that seemed to raise so much controversy over casting and language fell in line with neither the vehemently negative, nor the positive accolades of the critics who hail it as one of the best films of the year. Instead, I left the theater feeling ambivalent, not quite sure to sing its praises or to decry it completely.

One thing is for sure, the film is gorgeous. There are scenes where the colour seems to bleed off the screen, and some just look like portraits. That being said, the film seems to have forgotten subtlety as a facet of art. Memoirs of a Geisha feels like a distinctly American period film, a fabrication marked by artificiality. Instead of using the actors as a vehicle for conveyance, our eyes are instead drawn to the set design, the framing, the cinematography (at least, for me).

Everyone is probably sick of all the discussions about the casting of Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh, and Li Gong, but I'm going to raise it again. As a Chinese-American, it was strange for me to see three actors who don't look Japanese play the part of the geisha. Additionally, the fact that the film is in English also proved problematic because although Michelle Yeoh's English is quite polished, Li Gong and Zhang Ziyi's English is definitely not. Much of the time, I was struggling to understand what they were saying (a gripe that I've seen mentioned by many others). The inconsistency of the dialogue (e.g., different accents from different characters, sporadic Japanese words during English conversation between characters)detracted from the film for me, because I had to keep asking myself, "Why is this not in Japanese?" In the end, the film feels like a cup of instant ramen. It's satisfying and tasty when the hunger pangs strike, but an hour later, you're left wondering why you didn't just go for something a little more substantial than freeze-dried noodles in a broth made from water and MSG. Memoirs of a Geisha is an entertaining film, but I don't think I could sit through it again.