StumpTown Entertainment

This is a movie made from a very popular book which is usually a recipe for disaster. Of course, that is mostly true if you have read the book and loved it since your own imagination is vastly more powerful than even Hollywood and you are bound to be disappointed by the movie version of the book. In this case I solved this problem by not reading the book. I have to say, though, that there was so much depth to what was going on in this movie, if the book does even a mediocre job of telling the story the movie told, I can certainly see why it was so popular.

Before I get to the actual review I have to share what really struck me about this movie. Not surprisingly, the movie is about geishas. As explained by the movie, a geisha was (is?) a paid companion for a man’s entertainment. At least as it was portrayed, except in a few particularly horrifying instances, this was not about paying for sex. Geishas were not prostitutes, at least not in the sense we use that term now, but rather a woman trained in conversation and various forms of entertainment to make a man’s dinner or evening at the sumo match more enjoyable. You might ask, what about these men’s wives, but the movie doesn’t really address the fact that they were apparently left at home with the children while the husbands paid for professional companions.

The movie is beautiful and has some amazing visuals and in some ways is a mirror of the geishas themselves. But what really struck me was the fact that for all the painted on (literally and figuratively) beauty of these women, it was really all an elaborate scheme to cater to the whim of horrifically selfish, narcissistic and cruel men. The painted face of the geisha was the beautiful public face of an ugly culture that robbed poor people of their daughters who were forced to become common whores or the prettified geishas. Neither life was pleasant nor gave any consideration to what these women might want.

Of course, in virtually all cultures, men and women both conform their actions and appearance to one degree or another to make themselves attractive to the opposite sex, but the extreme of the geisha and the picture it painted of Japan half way through the last century was really tragic.

What it’s about: This is the story of a young girl ripped away from her family and forced to try to carve out some kind of life and dignity by pursuing becoming a Geisha. The movie takes place in WWII Japan and shows the beauty and pain of Geisha culture as well as how Japanese culture got a tremendous reality slap near the end of the war.

What’s to like: There was lots to like in this one. First the movie was beautiful and beautifully directed. The Geishas, the countryside, the scenes in the city were all breathtaking and stylistically shot with one amazing image after the next. The brilliant colors often contrasted with the mundane grays of the muddy city alleys much like the beauty of the fully done up Geisha women presented contrast to their peasant countrywomen all around them. The acting was brilliant with especially strong performances from both the younger and older woman who played the lead and the main Geisha rival. All were beautiful women who could be demure and strong and syrupy sweet and wicked all at once.

The director also added depth to the story with great use of symbols and imagery. Most notable was the use of the comparison of the main character to water and the use of that metaphor to add a subtle but meaningful sense of spirituality and mystery to what is already a dramatic story.

What I could have done without: I don’t really have anything significant to say to criticize the movie. It was slow moving at times, but this usually added rather than detracted from the movie. The story was compelling and well told and while not necessarily my favorite subject matter, it was very well done.

Who do you like: The main character is very sympathetic even as she lives her life in a culture that is so foreign. You feel her pain in the loss of her family and you share her inner strength that allows her to thrive in a culture where that was extremely difficult for someone like her.

What’s new: There were images of Japan and of the Geisha’s attire that were uniquely stunning.

What’s the last word: Very good ending to this movie. It perfectly presented in microcosm the balance between the dignified beauty of the Geisha and the harsh reality that she existed only to cater to the whim of men and was never as much distinct from a common prostitute as anyone involved wanted to believe.

Who you should bring: Women. This movie had a distinctively feminine quality. I’m not saying no men would enjoy this movie. I did after all. That said, I think most of my guy friends would rather have to recite Shakespeare in Japanese than sit through this movie. I hope I’m wrong about that as this was a great movie, but there is very little action and most of the drama comes from the pain of being a woman in this culture. Many guys will have a hard time relating, will likely find the whole thing wacky and spend the whole movie wondering when the kung fu starts. Women however, I would expect to enjoy this movie very much. It’s not one for kids. The subject matter is very adult both in its complexity and to some violence and sexual references, though there is nothing graphically depicted in the movie along these lines.

Where you should watch: The movie needs a big screen. It is so beautiful in its scenery, you really miss out not seeing it on a big screen. You probably can’t see it in the theater any more so I recommend breaking into some home theater store with your dvd and watching it in one of their mock rooms.

What’s the couch rating: We watched this movie late at night with Tanya on the couch under the blanket and she stayed awake for the whole thing. She began fading near the end, but the story was engaging enough that she was able to power through. That’s a very high couch score for this movie especially since my wife wasn’t feeling all that good while she watched.

What my gut tells me: I liked it and it really got me thinking, but I can’t say it was entirely enjoyable. Some parts were a bit boring for my taste, but that was just how it struck me. Also, I was really struck by the fact that no amount of face paint and silk could mask the ugliness of treating women so badly.

What it’s like: It’s a bit like a Merchant Ivory production or one of the period movies based on Jane Austen. It is a period piece where subtlety wins out over in your face action or drama. I’m struggling to find a movie that compares well to it. Pride and Prejudice, if it were filmed in Japan might be along the same lines.

Where it rates: 9 – I’m not sure I enjoyed it at that level, but thinking of it from the standpoint of the craft of movie making, it deserves this score.