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Memoirs of a Geisha

Play trailer Poster for Memoirs of a Geisha PG-13 2005 2h 35m Drama Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
35% Tomatometer 165 Reviews 83% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
In the 1920s, 9-year-old Chiyo (Suzuka Ohgo) gets sold to a geisha house. There, she is forced into servitude, receiving nothing in return until the house's ruling hierarchy determines if she is of high enough quality to service the clientele -- men who visit and pay for conversation, dance and song. After rigorous years of training, Chiyo becomes Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang), a geisha of incredible beauty and influence. Life is good for Sayuri, but World War II is about to disrupt the peace.
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Memoirs of a Geisha

Memoirs of a Geisha

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Critics Consensus

Less nuanced than its source material, Memoirs of a Geisha may be a lavish production, but it still carries the simplistic air of a soap opera.

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Critics Reviews

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Namrata Joshi Outlook 01/10/2019
2/4
Ziyi's fragile radiant presence lights up the screen, the standout scene being her public dance performance which marks her ascension into geishadom. Go to Full Review Zadie Smith Daily Telegraph (UK) 01/16/2018
Memoirs of a Geisha hurts the heart and the brain with its crushing monotony, inert, sub-human dialogue and Marshall's calculated attempt to sell us another Hollywood fairytale of prostitution. Go to Full Review David Ansen Newsweek 03/31/2008
Trying too hard to grab our attention, [Marshall] loses it. The art of the geisha prizes subtlety, stillness, grace. Why doesn't this movie? Go to Full Review Arnold Wayne Jones Texas Triangle/TXT 05/07/2023
3/4
When the initially muddled exposition finally begins to take shape and Geisha gets its blood flowing, things improve immeasurably. Go to Full Review Felicia Feaster Creative Loafing 01/30/2020
Marshall has instead crafted a mildly smarmy, heavy-breathing fantasy about some super-hot babes knocking each other down to get to the man meat while ignoring the fact that they are essentially sex slaves. Go to Full Review Mattie Lucas The Dispatch (Lexington, NC) 06/05/2019
2.5/4
Certainly is beautiful to look at, but it holds the audience at bay with one dainty, silk-shrouded arm. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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M L Nov 30 Critics are wrong yet again. It was beautiful and very interesting. Too bad so many couldn't pay attention long enough. See more Arthur M Nov 22 This movie was really great! The designs and story was great! And I definitely agree that this movie won two Oscars! This story is a realistic fiction about women's life as a geisha. However, there was only ONE scene in which was confusing, from the main character cutting herself, and the movie not explaining why. Other than that, TOTALLY WORTH A WATCH!!!!!! See more Ion T Nov 16 I would give this movie a 8.6/10. The scenes displayed Japan’s beautiful landscape and integrated the music to bring out the emotional impact. The main character spoke with a well-crafted dialogue showing her intelligence. The antagonist (Hatsumomo) was quite a bully, she felt threatened by Chiyo’s water eyes. Chiyo’s arc really started from the bottom and rose to the top with years of pain and grit. Overall, I liked the movie and would recommend watching it. SPOILER ALERT: This movie does not get a 10 because there were some things missing. What was the connection between Chiyo’s father and the Okiya? What happened to Chiyo’s sister? What happened to Hatsumomo after she had crashed out? Why did Nobu forgive Chiyo after the island? There were gaps in the movie. See more Nov 15 despite the succulent scoring music and beauty shots, I don't feel really indulged to this when I'm watching it See more Madison B. @Mbennett1034 Nov 12 Filmography was exceptional, acting excellent, storyline over all amazing See more Joey C Nov 9 While it's an absolutely gorgeous film, and acted quite superbly by Ziyi Zhang, and the incomparable Michelle Yeoh, the film hasn't aged well in the last twenty years. Wrought with melodrama, the film only pulls the most tantalizing portions of the source material, and choosing to portray some of the books more nuanced characters as catty, contemptuous, and petty. Most of the antagonists are so comically villainous, the absurdity of it all just completely takes you out of what was supposed to be a well crafted re-telling of the complex lives of Geisha. That's the mid-2000's for ya. Make it pretty, and make it trashy. This is a story that deserves to be told again, with a far more capable director, screenwriter, and even in mini series format. And hey, here's an idea. Maybe actual Japanese women? See more Read all reviews
Memoirs of a Geisha

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Cast & Crew

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Rob Marshall

Director

Zhang Ziyi

Sayuri Nitta

Ken Watanabe

The Chairman

Michelle Yeoh

Mameha

Kôji Yakusho

Nobu

Yûki Kudô

Pumpkin

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Memoirs of a Geisha

A scene from the film "Memoirs of a Geisha." A scene from the film "Memoirs of a Geisha." A scene from the film "Memoirs of a Geisha." A scene from the film "Memoirs of a Geisha." A scene from the film "Memoirs of a Geisha." On the set of the film "Memoirs of a Geisha." A scene from the film "Memoirs of a Geisha." A scene from the film "Memoirs of a Geisha." On the set of the film "Memoirs of a Geisha." A scene from the film "Memoirs of a Geisha." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In the 1920s, 9-year-old Chiyo (Suzuka Ohgo) gets sold to a geisha house. There, she is forced into servitude, receiving nothing in return until the house's ruling hierarchy determines if she is of high enough quality to service the clientele -- men who visit and pay for conversation, dance and song. After rigorous years of training, Chiyo becomes Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang), a geisha of incredible beauty and influence. Life is good for Sayuri, but World War II is about to disrupt the peace.
Director
Rob Marshall
Producer
Steven Spielberg, Douglas Wick, Lucy Fisher
Screenwriter
Robin Swicord
Distributor
DreamWorks SKG, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co
Columbia Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures
Rating
PG-13 (Some Sexual Content|Mature Subject Matter)
Genre
Drama, Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 23, 2005, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA)
$57.0M
Runtime
2h 35m
Sound Mix
Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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