Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) has been on my list of films to watch for quite some time until I finally decided to watch it last night. I have long been intrigued of its story because of my bestfriend’s recommendation but have always declined because I always would want to watch a light movie after a day or a week’s battle in the office.
The film is a story of a young girl who was brought to a land unknown to her to become a geisha. A geisha is not a courtesan but a woman trained to entertain and converse with men through art – dance and music. They must repress their feelings and become emotionally detached in their involvement with men.
The film’s technical high is its expert and superb handling of production and lighting. It excellently presented a geisha’s exotic world of classical beauty, refinement, and culture. Also commendable are the admirable acting of Zhang, Yeoh, Li, and Watanabe.
Though the film has to be taken into its context, there is no compromise with its moral Catholic assessment. Geishas may not be courtesans and are respected in traditional Japanese culture but they are high class prostitutes. In the light of Christian values, prostitution is never morally accepted no matter how noble the rationalization may be.
Despite of the film’s superb technical care and acting, Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) does not strongly evoke a viewer’s feelings to capture the emotional essence of being a geisha. I felt that the film was somehow restrained on its portrayal like the hidden inner world adventures of a geisha.
(4, 2/5)
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© rooks 2010
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