Memoirs Of A Geisha Review

Rob Marshall releases his potential Oscar winner in the form of "Memoirs of a Geisha." Adopted from Arthur Golden's acclaimed novel and staring the beautiful Ziyi Zhang ("House of Flying Daggers"), "Memoirs of a Geisha" offers an intricate insight into the traditional values of Japanese culture and their destruction after the Second World War.

Following the life of Sayuri, a young girl sold to slavery by her parents, the film charts her rise from a child steeped in a life of hardship and abuse to a beautifully successful Geisha. Sayuri, who during her child years is superbly played by Suzaka Oghu, is a charming character who is forced to adapt to her own independence despite living under a tight regime of slavery. Marshall successfully paints a vivid picture of pre-war Japanese traditions, underlying the importance of honour and gratitude and most importantly presents the role of the Geisha as a form of company and entertainment for Japanese men, but never as prostitutes.

Despite Marshall's bold direction, and the gorgeous cinematography of Dion Beebe, "Memoirs of a Geisha" fails to be the all encompassing drama it has been hyped as. Too often the film, at an overly long two and a half hours, feels like an extended soap opera and the character interactions are unconvincing as the plot develops. Nonetheless, with the arrival of the Second World War and the demolition of values of society, Marshall is able to highlight in great detail the impact that War had on Japan, and the role of the Geisha both pre and post war is pivotal at conveying this point home.