'Memoirs of a Geisha': Its beauty is only skin-deep
by John DeFore
The most obvious complaint about "Memoirs of a Geisha" is one that will leave many mainstream viewers unmoved: that this story of centuries-old Japanese traditions is told in English. Yes, "Geisha" is desperate to reach a broad audience that is thought to abhor reading subtitles. (Wait, what about "Passion of the Christ"?) But shooting it in English negates the film's casting of such talented Asian performers. Leading actresses Ziyi Zhang and Michelle Yeoh have previously won us over in action movies, where dialogue was secondary. Here, exposition is essential, and forcing actors to speak English hurts both them (they're hobbled) and us (their accents are sometimes so thick we need subtitles anyway).
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In the years before World War II, a Japanese child is torn from her penniless family to work in a geisha house. Despite a treacherous rival, the girl blossoms into a legendary geisha. Beautiful and accomplished, she captivates the most powerful men of her day, but is haunted by her secret love for the one man beyond her reach.
DreamWorks SKG
'Memoirs of a Geisha'
Director: Rob Marshall
Starring: Ziyi Zhang, Ken Watanabe, Gong Li, Michelle Yeoh, Youki Kudoh
Run time: 145 minutes
Release date: Dec. 9, 2005
Rating: PG-13 for mature subject matter and some sexual content.
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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: C
"... wears its Oscar aspirations on its lushly brocaded sleeve. Nominations for production design and costumes would be deserved, but that's as far as it goes — though one of the stars could eke out a nomination simply because, well, the movie's failure isn't their fault, really."
Austin American-Statesman: 3 of 5 stars
"Clearly what was important here was not authenticity but the illusion of it. Not transcendence, but entertainment just foreign enough to convince undemanding viewers they've been taken someplace new."
The Palm Beach Post: B+
"... a worthy film that feels like a throwback to an earlier era of movie-making."
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