Memoirs of a Geisha

Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - 4/10

First Viewed: 3/26/08
Directed by Rob Marshall
Cinematography by Dion Beebe
Starring Ziyi Zhang, Ken Watanabe, and Michelle Yeoh

Rob Marshall attempts to follow the rise of a beautiful geisha in Japanese society through the creation of achingly beautiful images that are admirably provided by cinematographer Dion Beebe. John Williams provides an excellent score and Pietro Scalia's editing creates a nice pace to the film.

Despite the technical accomplishments, Memoirs of a Geisha is surprisingly boring. I actually stopped watching this film about ninety minutes into its two and a half hour running time. It was hard for me to get into the movie and the characters, who speak heavily accented English rather than Japanese. As a result of this decision, the actors' dialogue delivery sounds frustratingly stilted.

Marshall also seems to lose focus by concentrating on the aesthetic aspects of his film. The lighting, sets, and costumes look gorgeous, but they draw too much attention away from the protagonist's narrative. In addition to these weaknesses, the story itself seems to be, at its roots, a typical rise and fall story of someone whose profession is both the blessing and the bane of her existence.