Memoirs of a Geisha

Reviewed by:
Pete Hammond

After watching your girlfriend toting this book around in the beach bag all summer, you absolutely know you’re gonna be dragged kicking and screaming to this movie. But you're in luck—it's not that bad! Memoirs of a Geisha is a stunning experience, kind of like an Asian chick flick melted into a male fantasy. With a trio of the hottest Chinese actresses in existence (all of whom deserve Oscar nods), as well as Asian superstar Gong Li as the ultimate slut bitch, director Rob Marshall (Chicago) vividly brings Arthur Golden’s soapy novel to life. It's a good thing three hotties are there to hold your attention, because the epic tale takes its time setting up the main story of a nine-year-old girl who transcends her impoverished upbringing to become the most renowned Geisha of the 20th century. If the film has a flaw, it's pacing, not visuals—Memoirs of a Geisha takes us on a memorable journey into an exotic world we have never seen before or likely ever will again—the essence of what great movie making is all about.

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