Memoirs of Geisha

A Beautiful movie, as true to the book as you can expect any movie to be, but why cast three obviously Chinese actresses in the lead roles! The performances from Li Gong, Michelle Yeoh and Ziyi Zhang were solid and moving at times, but I can't imagine that some people will not take offense to the casting choices. Granted, these three actors are better know in the West than many other Asian actors. It just seems a shame that they were unwilling or unable to full the roles with Japanese actors.The questionable dance piece

Only one other thing took me out of the film--Sayuri's debut performance at the Cherry Blossom Festival. Most of the movie maintains a very authentic period feeling (to the point that the girls were painstakingly tied into the yards of obi every day instead of building a more convenient and lighter substitute). The costumes and locales are breathtaking. The geisha's movements in the teahouses, both when performing or serving are graceful and stunning.

And then Sayuri comes onto the festival's stage an performs what I can only describe as a modern performance art piece, complete with falling snow, theatrical lighting (this scene is set in the 1930's mind you), and a tear away costume more akin to a strip show than Kabuki. I can't even bring myself to classify it as a dance. I was a little horrified. The book spends so much time describing how Sayuri devoted herself to dancing and how she tapped deeply she tapped into her emotions and experience to perform as she did that the scene seemed to be more of a mockery of her than a fabulous performance.

Still , the movie was well worth seeing. With that scene aside there are still 140 fabulous minutes to take in.