Memoirs of a Geisha
Cast: Ziyi Zhang, Togo Igawa, Youki Kudoh, Ken Watanabe, et al.
Rated: PG-13 for mature subject matter and some sexual content.
Runtime: 145 min
Genre: Drama / Romance
Summary: In 1929 an impoverished nine-year-old named Chiyo from a fishing village is sold to a geisha house in Kyoto's Gion district and subjected to cruel treatment from the owners and the head geisha Hatsumomo. Her stunning beauty attracts the vindictive jealousy of Hatsumomo, until she is rescued by and taken under the wing of Hatsumomo's bitter rival, Mameha. Under Mameha's mentorship, Chiyo becomes the geisha named Sayuri, trained in all the artistic and social skills a geisha must master in order to survive in her society. As a renowned geisha she enters a society of wealth, privilege, and political intrigue. As World War II looms Japan and the geisha's world are forever changed by the onslaught of history. [MORE]
I actually wanted to see this movie back in December when it came to theaters but I never ended up having a chance to go, I was just so busy with work and everything, so I was quite glad when I found out my cousin's girlfriend had rented it. My cousin wasn't too happy about it at first, but it turned out to be less of a chick-flick than either of us had thought, for which I was quite glad about. I am not really a fan of chick-flicks you see xD
I was quite impressed with the film on a whole. The plot was good, the setting was amazing, and just everything in it was so different from the world *I* know, it was so easy to get lost in it. I love being able to escape away into another place and time, and with this movie it is quite easy to do so.
The acting of this movie is well done, and there are moments where Japanese is used instead of English, which just adds to the overall theme of the film. I don't understand why it was such a big deal that the main characters were not Japanese. That is just how things are done in acting... What should matter is how talented the actor or actress is, and if they can play the role they are given, and I think that all of the actors in this film portrayed their roles well.
I would highly recommend this film to anyone who likes to watch movies about culture and life, with some romance thrown in near the end.
Overall I would rate this film:
