I have always said that to really appreciate the work of others, one should try to do what they do. Writing a movie review is a good example. I always read Mike Schulz's reviews in the Reader and feel that he does an excellent job. I also feel I probably take his work for granted, not taking time to think how much time, thought, expertise, and talent goes into his work. Yesterday, my wife and I saw Memoirs of a Geisha. We have spent considerable time discussing it. I decided that the best way to put my thoughts in order would be to write a review. It is now that I realize just how difficult that task is.
I read several reviews in Rotten Tomatoes.com. Most of the negative ones were critical because Rob Marshall chose to use non-Japanese actresses. Another criticism was that the movie was in English. The reviews seemed to feel that to Caucasian Americans all Asians look alike and that Americans would be upset if the script was in Japanese using subtitles. Neither of these two criticisms were a problem for me. I didn't realize that the actresses weren't Japanese until I read an article in Entertainment. I feel the entire cast gave excellent performances and that their nationality wasn't an issue. This happens all the time. We have non-Irish actors playing Irish characters, non-British actors playing British actors, etc. I also didn't have a problem with their speaking their lines in English. Personally, I don't care for subtitles.
The one big criticism that I have is that there were aspects that weren't explained very well. If I had read the book, perhaps I could have understood parts of the movie better. These are the aspects that I had difficulty with: 1)Why did Hatsumomo take an almost instant dislike of Chiyo? Could she tell that at an early age she would be a rival? Did Chiyo do something to her? Was she a saddist who enjoyed hurting others? 2) I could discern that Hatsumomo and Mameha were rivals. Were they of the same Geisha house? Apparently Pumpkin was Hatsumomo's protege and the owner of the Geisha house chose Mameha's protoge, Saguri, over her. Was she chosen to be the "prima donna" of the Geisha house and to replace Hatsumomo? 3) What was the significance of Saguri cutting herself and then going to the doctor? I gathered that this was all part of Mameha's master plan, but I didn't really understand it. 4) When Saguri was at the Baron's Estate, did he actually rape her? At the end of that scene, I felt he did. But then, the doctor, I believe, paid $15,000 yen for Saguri's virginity? So, maybe she wasn't raped afterall. Also, Mameha said that someone else, I didn't catch who, had bid higher, but Mameha kept that a secret. I didn't catch who, and I especially didn't catch why. I felt the fire scene left some questions unanswered. I gathered that this was Hatsumomo's ultimate revenge on the owner of the Geisha house and Saguri. It looked like they were trapped in the upstairs with no way for escape. Then, somehow they got out. I thought this segment was poorly developed. It seemed to be something that was just thrown in and not developed very well. Later, when they had gone off with the American officer, there was this plan by Saguri. She asked Pumpkin to bring the Chairman's friend to the place where she and the American were. Instead, Pumpkin brought the Chairman which really messed up Saguri's plan. Unfortunately, the movie doesn't let the audience know what Saguri's plan was. I can think of some ideas, but none of them really make any sense. Also, I didn't really understand the feelings of the Chairman's friend. He said he was in love with Saguri, but I also got the impression that he was using her to help his business deal go through. That doesn't sound like how you would treat one you love. My final concern is with the ending. It was a happy ending, but also a little melodramatic.
Most of what I have written is negative, but I do have to admit that I did enjoy the movie. Being a typical American male, I was taken by the beauty of the three leading women. Also, this movie generated an interest in the whole concept of the Geishas. I intend to read the book and also to do more reading so as to learn more about this part of Japanese culture. Perhaps after reading the book, I will be able to answer my questions. As they say, I don't think I will give up my day job to write movie reviews. Me and my Schnauzer would both starve.