Release
Date: December 9, 2005 (NY, LA, TOR, SF; limited release: December 16; wider
release: December 23) Studio: Columbia Pictures Director: Rob Marshall
Screenwriter: Robin Swicord, Doug Wright Starring: Zhang Ziyi, Ken Watanabe, Michelle Yeoh, Gong Li, Kaori
Momoi, Tsai Chin, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Suzuka Ohgo
Genre: Drama MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for mature subject matter and some sexual content) Official Website:
SonyPictures.com
Plot Summary: Based on the internationally
acclaimed novel by Arthur Golden, "Memoirs of a Geisha" is a sweeping romantic
epic set in a mysterious and exotic world that still casts a potent spell today.
The story begins in the years before WWII when a penniless Japanese child is
torn from her family to work as a maid in a geisha house. Despite a treacherous
rival who nearly breaks her spirit, the girl blossoms into the legendary geisha
Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang). Beautiful and accomplished, Sayuri captivates the most
powerful men of her day, but is haunted by her secret love for the one man who
is out of her reach (Ken Watanabe).
Memoirs of a Geisha has a high standard of
production values (it is directed by Bob Marshall of Chicago, a highly
polished production) and there is a solid storyline: a girl is sold by her poor
parents into a royal household to become a servant girl and geisha circa World
War II. She grows up with one hope, the love she has for a kind man (Ken Watanbe).
The optimism and love story don’t fit dramatically with prominent scenes of the
geisha’s (played By Ziyi Zhang, of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon fame)
troubled circumstances, so this does not ring true. Still, the ending is a
tear-jerker proving that a story about hope and love can speak to anyone’s
heart.
We would love to know what you think, sound off on the
movie message boards and let us know how you liked the movie!
Release
Date: December 9, 2005 (NY, LA, TOR, SF; limited release: December 16; wider
release: December 23)
- Better than a cheese royale: buy one while its hot