www.sonypictures.com
Tyler Simmons
Reporter
February 10, 2006
|
|
|
Ziyi Zhang
stars in “Memoirs of a Geisha.” www.sonypictures.com |
This year seems to be the year of new directors delivering gems to the movie scene. Rob Marshall directed “Memoirs of a Geisha,” and it was only his second major motion picture attempt, with his first being “Chicago.” And it is beautiful.
From the very beginning of the film we are launched into just how the life of a geisha works.
The movie follows Chiyo’s life starting from the moment she is sold by her family, through the time of geisha training and through wartime Japan, all as she pursues one man, the Chairman.
The visuals alone in this movie are worth watching. The girls’ beauty shows just how alluring a geisha can be, and it’s all done through a screen and film. You get a real feel for how truly beautiful and attractive geisha are and the effects they can have on men. This effect is something beyond just simple sexual lust, but something of the mind and soul as well.
The performance of the actors is another reason to watch this movie. Ken Watanabe, most recently known for his role in “Batman Begins,” delivers an Oscar-worthy performance as the “Chairman,” the love interest of Chiyo. Sayuri, the name Chiyo takes on after becoming a geisha, is played by Ziyi Zhang, whose only American film is “Rush Hour 2.”
Ziyi is simply wonderful. While being the usual alluring geisha, she also gives the audience a look at the life of the typical geisha. Instead of just being a woman of attractive beauty, we see her as a true person, through dialogue and facial expressions.
For those who do not know, a geisha is not a prostitute. When a geisha completes her training, she can decide if she desires a danna, someone with which she is emotionally, economically, and sexually involved. This decision is not merely based on looks, although that does play into it. It is conversation, intelligence, and cunning that allows a geisha to be truly coveted.
And that is just what this movie should be: a coveted work of art. All of the performances are stand-alone. With the exception of a few sexual scenes necessary to show the true life of Sayuri, the film is rather clean for the type of profession Sayuri is in. This reviewer gives “Geisha” 4 out of 5 stars.