ziyi zhang is a mediocre actress at best and is not respected at all in china, unlike gong li who is. Ziyi zhang is only famous for her looks (which arent that fantastic either)

The film is well acted, over-dramatic, and is a visual masterpiece. But the Hollywood soap opera based on a Japanese story overrun with a badly spoken English screenplay using Chinese actors is unavoidably silly. The film disserves to be honored for its superb visual costumes, make-up and design, but unfortunately that is it.

Considering the comments about the oriental casting in hollywood films, I feel that more than the fact that chinese actors are playing japanse characters, overall its a film that encapsulates the essence of a "worth-watching" film. The film may not portray the characteristics of a typical japanese geisha, but at the same time portrays it in such a way that the viewers are intrigued and keep them wanting for more. Prior to this movie I had no idea what a geisha was or they even existed for that matter. but this film has made me want to read more about them. From a purely cinematic view, John william's scores are absolutely wonderful and gives a whole new meaning to east-based movies. The elaborate costumes are sure to catch one's eyes. the visual appeal of the entire movie is high. The physical landscapes are very convincing even though certain scenes were shot in South California. Overall this movie is worth-watching.… Expand

The movie is visually delightful and the sountrack eases your senses. It might throw up a few good ideas for interior designers!! But it is no longer is a 'memoir', that the book was. The treatment is melodramatic and immature. Maybe they should have struck to the book more as understanding a 'Geisha's life is no easy job.

I always find movies about different cultures interesting. The movie almost felt like a documentary because I knew NOTHING about geishas before this movie. I did enjoy it though. The movie did kinda drag by the end, but there was a lot of plot to cover. The lead actress (both young and old versions) did very well. This movie will probably go over better with the female population, but males can enjoy it too (i did). Just sit back and enjoy the beautiful costumes and sets.… Expand

I said "OK, let's go see a 'chick flick'. I owe you one." My vote for mediocrity. Great photography --- lush; it's best feature. Alas, this is a boring movie. All style and little substance with garbled dialogue to boot. Next time we can see a movie that reviewers and this critic agree is worth seeing.

this is an amazing film that protrays Japan in a terrible time period of war with such beauty and grace. i love this movie.

Great Cinematography and the 3 Chinese actresses as Japanese was pulled off masterfully. From someone who's lived in Japan, Zhang Ziyi's performance was breathtaking.

Excellent writing and cinematography! love the actors. Powerful!!!

Not so memorable because I fell asleep. It was that uninteresting. Dull.

This movie was better than a sleeping pill. Im being generous with a 2 rating.

Stunningly beautiful and deeply touching.

Beautiful.

The leading actress, Ziyi, is astonishing! An Oscar-worthy.

The dance looks like a Vegas show.

Beautiful women, beautiful sets. Its like you're looking at Vogue Japan. But then the women open their mouths, and things get ugly. Its not that the English dialogue is poor, its that these performers, for the most part, speak English in an almost cliche way. Couldnt they have hired Lucy Liu or Sandra Oh? There's something crazy about hiring "English as a Second Language" actors for an American movie. And then it turns out most of them are Chinese playing Japanese! What kind of faux authenticity was Rob Marshall shooting for? And honestly, the love story boils down to a pederast loves a baby hooker. Isnt that romantic.… Expand

If only the Geisha had a memory of a Crouching Tiger or even a Flying Dagger or two it might have given her Memoirs something worth making into a major motion picture instead of spending 100 million for cinematography, art direction and costume design Oscar nominations.

I respected the book for its vivid depiction of that era in Japan's history, but was never truly entertained because of its emotional coldness. The film suffers from the same problem, only more so. Beautiful to look at, but never truly involving. Ziyi Zhang truly shines though.

despite what some of the other reviewers have said, i think this has a fair bit of depth - certainly much more than something like house of flying daggers. i thoroughly enjoyed it. the score is fantastic and the world of the geishas is captivating.

The music, the costumes, the cinematography ... they're all stunningly beautiful! The actors are great as usual (Watanabe, Yeoh, and Zang are the best Asia has to offer and rank up there with the best of dramatic actors, in my opinion). The only downside is what you see in the reviews, a lack of depth, maybe? That's not to say that we don't care about the actors or the outcome, but it could have been tied together better. The movie seemed to lose a little steam in the last 1/2 also but I didn't walk away feeling cheated or let down. It was a nice story and a joy to watch.… Expand

This movie wasone of the best adaptations from book to film. I was thoroughly engrossed in the stunning cinema photography and the fine acting by young Sayurin in particular. The music score was moving as well as the romantic story.

I really liked this movie and thought is was entertainig. Also, I don't understand the backlash of critcs and some of the viewers. Hello! Its a story picture about characters. Those knuckleheads who were bored probably like 50 Cent movies and comedies about 40 yr old virgins.

I can't understand why a lot of people complain about the chinese playing japanese characters, and speaking in inglish and stuff, if you don't like that kind of movie, just don't go to see it. It's a chick flick, and its good...

Well shot, wonderful costumes etc but the visuals couldn't rescue what is essentially melodrama. One dimensional almost cartoonish characters, terrible acting and it just plain plodded along. Disappointing really as the book was great.

A great film... very artistic... took my breath away.

This was a visual masterpiece that stuck true to the Golden's novel. People who condemn it went into watching the movies not knowing the type of story it is. While the back of the DVD describes it as a Cinderalla story, and that is true, it is not the point of the story. Yes, it's what drives Chiyo to continue on the path, but what choice did she have. Besides it's not going to be a cheesey romance. People need to have some understanding of Japanese culture, especially during that time period. That society in Kyouto is beyond the understanding of most Americans if they don't care to look into the history behind it. Yes, it had American flair but what did you expect? This film was wonderfully done and only the ignorant condemn it and what it represents. (As for the Asians who condemn this story I make no remark. They would know it better then most Americans. They are the only ones who have a right to.)… Expand

Costumes were amazing. visually, the production value was there... the english was painful but zhang zi yi's looks didnt make it horrible. i wish they just casted japanese people and spoke in their native tongue with subs. the book was much better.

Fans of the book will probably enjoy this visually stunning movie. But why does Hollywood always have to put in a dig at Americans? In the book, the Americans were not particularly odious, and the Minister was Japanese. In the movie, he is a boorish "Ugly American," and of course, the Americans are all "bastards."

The movie is visually beautiful. Amazing costumes, scenery, etc. But as the movie stands out by itself, it shows out to be a dramatic "Showgirls", a slimy romantic story, a soap-opera launched straight to theaters.

It should be banned in Japan because of the use of Chinese actresses - the same 3 leads in all Asian films - portraying of all things profound in the Japanese culture, Geishas. No one who funded this project had the intelligence to think of how this looks to the Asian audience because it is white-washed from America.

The three main actresses derserve to win oscars.

Like a sumptuous, lavish, stunningly produced Lifetime movie. A thin plot, terrible dialogue, poor acting but incredible to look at.

Ugh. Not what I was expecting. The acting is awful. How was this ever touted as an awards worthy film? Blech!

Loved it!!

Oscar-Worthy. Gong Li and Ziyi Zhang once again prove that they are the greatest actresses in the world.

The costumes, cinematography, and musical score are top-notch. The story, however, meanders and there's never any real emotional pull to make us care about any of the characters. It seemed much longer than it actually is.

Anyone else notice that the lead musical score (done by Hans Zimmer) was EXACTLY the same as the one done in "The Last Samurai"? What a disappointment.

Very ordinary movie. Don't waste your money. If you must see it then wait until it is playing in the $1 dollar movie.

I loved it. I think you need to free your mind from choppy English and focus on the story, set in beautiful scenery just before WWII. It is a story of perseverance and survival in the strict Japanese community of geisha. And a predictable yet unexpected happy ending. I thought it was wonderful. Critics have to be more open minded and understand that passion is not in love scenes and sexual acts, but sometimes lies in silence and even absense of emotion.… Expand

I was put off by the bad reviews...but upon viewing it myself, I was pleasantly surprised. Not bad.

Pretty good movie, at times impressive cinematography (opening scene), a very promising young "lead" actress, a movie I would be glad to see again.

Not only does the film fail to stay true to the book, it is a disgrace to it. If you have read the book you'll see what I mean. Obviously I did not expect the film to be just like the book, but its just ridiculous. The film seems to miss everything the book is about, it does not capture the life of Saguri or of a geisha for that matter. It is a pity that Rob Marshall had to destroy such a great story.… Expand

a complete bore. hollywood meets contemporary Asian film-making and makes a mess of it.

Yes, it's melodramatic and not very subtle. But as a fairytale, it works and is quite entertaining. The scenery is beautiful and so is the score, featuring Yo Yo Ma and Itzhak Pearlman. And Gong Li plays the Wicked Stepsister role with real relish.

great movie! yes they are chinese actresses but then they pulled it off. they'r great! i think it's the most romantic film I've ever watched..to those who criticize it wrongly, you should I think watch it several times, I think you just didn't listen to the dialogue, you just didn' get it. you should read between the lines also. the script was fantastic! Ziyi and the other casts performance are incredible stellar. two-thumbs up to you guys! trully, each of the leading actors and actresses deserve more than an oscard award. great! they are really Asia's best!… Expand

Stunningly designed, beautifully photographed, marvelously costumed, sharply edited, expertly scored, very well acted...and yet not nearly all it could have been.

An unusual but beautifully told story that stays with you.

Excellent movie

GREAT MOVIE! I love it. Obviously, Japanese actresses aren't "ALL" that. And the history of geisha in Japan isn't all that glamorous anyways, so does it matter if the movie use Japanese actresses? Asians are asians. So for a movie on Eiffel Towel that's to be played in English, do all the actors/actresses need to be French? It doesn't matter, as long as they look Caucasian. Same for this Memoir of Geisha movie, as long as the actresses/actors are Asian, that's all that mattered.… Expand

I thought that the film was fantastic! All those people who don't are worthless and pathetic they obviously didn't see the beauty and magnificence in the movie! Everything about it was amazing and so what if it was in english so what if the leading role actress was Chinease! It was and will always be a brilliant film that will stun everyone into awe!

A pure and spectacular masterpiece with great,exciting storyline backed up by a brilliant John Williams's soundtrack!What can we ask more?

Zhang Ziyi in magnificent, It's time to have an asian actrss as an oscar-winner!!!

Beautiful film!

This entire movie is one tremendous mistake. Three phenomenal actresses, and the worst outcome imaginable-Total boredom.

This is one of the worst movies of the year. I think that Arthur Golden could have done a MUCH better job with this movie. The one does not even deserve to be put out in the theaters OR out to buy because it is a waste of your money!!!!

And the NO DOZE AWARD goes to.... Why do they make this prosaic mundane sorry excuses for a movie? Avoid unless of course you need to catch up on your sleep?

Really beautifully done.....but couldn't wait for it to end. any film maker ever here of "short and sweet"?

Many reviews missed the point ... to expect a movie about a Geisha to be as "exciting" as "Chicago" is to pan the Mormon Tabernacle Choir becasue they can't dance like Madonna in their videos.

Great culture.

I almost avoided this picture, as the critical reviews were so bad. But I had recently read the book for the sole purpose of being able to then watch the movie, so I went with very low expectations. Instead, I saw one of the best films of the year. I'm really not sure why critics didn't "get" this film. Maybe reading the book first helped me to understand things better, and maybe they didn't read the book! And while not 100% faithful to the book (what movie is?), it was remarkably close. Finally, an earlier comment asking why Lucy Liu or Sandra Oh weren't starring in the movie instead of Zhang Ziyi or Gong Li is one of the funnies/most ridiculous things I've read on ANY MetaCritic board in a long time.… Expand

Like watching paint dry.

Best moive of the year. Critics are complaining just because its in English.

Better if the characters spoke in Japanese. It also emphasized on the less-important scenes longer then the important ones. Other then that, not bad

I expected so much more! Instead, all I got was a LONG (2+ hour) boring movie that put me to sleep. I didn't like most of the characters. Depressing movie too.

This is an occult film for Japanese, I am glad that a Japanese actress did not play Sayuri. If you want know the real Japanese mannered the kimono, I recommend you see "the twilight samurai" academy award nominee 2004 for best foreigh language film. A Japanese actress Rie shows you how to wear kimonos and graceful movement.

Had a sneak preview. Beautiful and mesmerising movie. Any doubt about casting the three Chinese lead actresses in their roles as beautiful geisha is totally dispelled by their powerful performances, notably Li Gong. No wonder she has long been regarded as the darling of international arthouse.

Beautiful and Oscar-worthy.

Best film of the year. Highly recommended. If you want to know what great acting is, please watch Gong Li and Zi Yi in this movie and all their other movies. They are the greatest actresses in the world.

Beautiful! Ziyi's performance proves that she is the most talented actress in the world. Her character is not supposed to express her emotions, pain and suffering openly. You can feel her character's pain through her restrained and deep performance. Gong Li is a powerhouse. She deserves an oscar.

2 hours of my life i will never get back!

From a Japanese point of view, I did not understand the director's intention to make this kind of movie using Chinese people as main actoresses. I was quite embarassed and disappointed to see it.

Some flashy costuming and few exra dramatic moments are placed in this bore-fest for a bit of pizazz. It has little drive, and almost no delivery when it comes to entertainment. Not so much of bad, as simply boring.

I have to admit, I went in expecting the worst, but came out generally satisfied with what I was given. This film is beautiful to behold and features a wonderfully radiant performance by Ziyi Zhang. In my eyes, she was the standout, as her blue/gray eyes conveyed a sea of emotions. I also appreciated the relationship between Ziyi's character and Michelle Yeoh, who also played her role with grace and dignity. I could've done without the Gong Li character, though. To her credit, she played the role with a lot of flair. Visually, this film is absolutely breathtaking, as is John Williams' score, which actually gave the film the extra bit of emotion it needed. All in all, not nearly as bad as most critics have said.… Expand

a dazaling look into a girls life from childhood to young womanhood.

Despite all its sumptuous production, its luxurious feeling and the exotic of its theme, "Memoirs of a Geisha" feels a little bit like a disappointment. This epic production feels condemned since its beginning: dark, melodramatic and superficial depth as the young Sayuri is kidnapped. But, all the movie feels like that. There are not depth, achievement, heart. It feels like soulless, like some standard epic from the 40s without charm. Rob Marshall fails miserably and give the same charisma to bring "Chicago" to break a hit. The failure is the occasionally boring and, overall, quiet adaptation. The story feels like a cheap melodrama, with the same pretensions of a latin soap opera, but with some kimonos. There are no passion, romance, love. This is just a compendium of great artistic values of production involved in a worthless drama. But the film worth because of that. This is an epic well filmed, well achieved with stunning triumphs in acting, cinematography, music (williams is noy corny!!!), costume and production design, etc. But despite all its beauty has very poor narrative structure than it turns this like a poor cliched melodramatic bombastic film.… Expand

The first 45 minutes were awful despite some very beautiful scenes. they were in the perspective of a terrible 8 year old Chinese actress and consisted of repetitive escapes and over-dramatic soundtrack filled with slow-moving bordom and confused exploitation of great cinematography. That is a run-on sentence that summarizes how I felt about the start of first 45 minutes of the film. However after that it moved into the life of the older woman. and that is a beatiful, much faster, and exrodinary story that i like alot but it has its flaws. The acting is much better for the remaining 1 hour and 45 minutes (the film is 2.5 hours) and the story is very moving and amazing at times. The movie is the most beautiful movie i have ever seen. but it is not one of the best. its a Chinese "big fish" that is way too drawn out yet at times superb. It earns its appearance nominees at the oscars. 3.3 stars.… Expand

Memoirs of a Geisha is a beautifully filmed movie. It is a definate must see on the big screen. An accomplishment for hollywood to aspire in making this film. Wonderful performances by a outstanding cast of actors. A look at the hidden life of the desire of a Geisha's dream for freedom and choice. A depliction of romance, and desire.

Casting's the least of its problems. Charlton Heston played a Mexican in "Touch of Evil," and that picture's reputation has grown pretty well, don't you think? No, the problem here is STIFF BOREDOM. Beautiful to look at, but then again, so is a vacation tour. Take away the eye candy and the characters, story, dialogue, it can be pretty awful and at best dull.

Well, i thought it was pretty riviting. and beautiful.

So much potential, yet ending up like a made-for-TV movie.

i simply love the movie. the images the atmosphere the music is so exotic and it makes you wanna be there. the acting was great, the costumes were just incredible. i dont know much about the japanese history and habits, but after seeing this movie i wanna know more and more. it really is a wonderful movie and i think everyone should see it because its worth it! i loved the plot, the fact that sayuri wanted to become a geisha to meet the chairman again, i find that totally sweet. and of couse the "forbiden love" never gets old… Expand

Been a while since I have seen this but I remember I liked it so much I want to watch it again now. I'm so glad they didn't feel like they had to have some flying karate master in here with a sword. Beautifully done and acted!

As most movie adaptations of books are, it's not as good as its original. That being said, it's still a wonderful film, if a bit long as slow at times; this is easily overlooked by the thought that it is, in fact, a true story. While at times overflowing with melodrama and anachronisms, the beauty of the entire thing makes it a worthwhile movie to watch at least once.

Absolutely loved it. A fantastic love story. Great characters. A little long but it pays off at the end. It may not be the best American-Japanese movie but it tries and kind of succeeds.