This is like the movie version of a magnet that reads, “it’s wine o’clock somewhere!”
Well, here we are once again at the beginning of a new year. It’s a time for making resolutions, self-reflection and taking steps to generally change our lives for the better. At least, that’s the idea. In the spirit of that, I chose to watch Eat Pray Love (2010), a movie meant to inspire viewers to take a hard look at their lives and make the changes necessary to get the most out of it. At least, that was the idea. I was honestly expecting this movie to be more of a fluffy, aspirational “find yourself” movie with gorgeous shots of fabulous things (pizza! elephants! hot guys!) in the vein of Under the Tuscan Sun (2003) or Julie & Julia (2009). By the way, check out my review for that last movie, here. So you can imagine how incredibly surprised I was to discover that it was much more of a disjointed melodrama. One with bizarre choices. Trust me, we’ll GET INTO IT. Overall this movie could have used a lot more silly montages and a lot less pensive bike riding.
Based on the memoir of the same name, Eat Pray Love tells the story of Liz Gilbert, a writer who realizes that she’s in an unhappy marriage and lacking direction in her life. After a brief rebound she then sets out on a year-long trip to Italy, India and Bali to find herself.
I understand that the book this movie is based on was an enlightening phenomenon that helped a lot of people, but the movie is neither enlightening nor helpful. I’m sure the actual book is a great read but the movie does not give what I believe it intended to give. I have no proof but Liz’s frequent narrations (perhaps the best-written part of the movie) sound like actual excerpts from the book, only fuelling my belief that “Eat Pray Love” was probably a much more impactful read than it was a watch. Frankly, it’s a bad screenplay by Jennifer Salt and director Ryan Murphy. Maybe if Gilbert had actually been involved in the writing the movie would have come off less…tawdry? Shallow? There are many parts of this movie that are written like a bad episode of Sex and the City (1998 – 2004). It’s 30 minutes before Liz even arrives in Italy! By the way, she arrives in each of these fabulous places with zero fanfare which was such a missed opportunity. Here’s where you add a fun montage! Murphy, who admittedly isn’t the most astounding of directors, has certainly done better, more fun, work than this.
Ok, so there are some things that just fundamentally make no sense. For starters, Liz’s guilt about food and desire to let herself eat whatever she wants seemingly comes out of nowhere. Also, she went all the way to Naples, Italy for a margherita pizza? One of the most basic pizzas? The food porn in this movie was nowhere near as tantalizingly mouthwatering as it could have been. Seriously, check out Julie & Julia or Chef (2014) if that’s what you’re after. Is there a movie about someone travelling the world, trying different unique cuisines and finding themselves through the magic of food? ‘Cause that’s a movie that would be infinitely better than this one. I did find it extremely comical the way the movie unironically has Julia Roberts of all people STRUGGLING to button jeans to the point where she needs a second pair of hands to help her.
I’m on board with the sentiment behind Liz’s travels and what she learns, I just find the lengths she went to ridiculous. You’re telling me she had to travel around the world for a year to learn how to be a single woman with genuine friends and her own interests? That’s…sad? At least the way the movie presents it. Again, I bet the book does a better job of explaining precisely what it is Liz is searching for but the movie is vague as Hell. There’s an especially frustrating aspect to the movie where she’s like, “I’m lonely!” because she’s single and it’s like, girl, yes you shouldn’t get into a new serious relationship but you’re in Italy! At least go out on some dates or fuck some hot Italian men! I was really waiting for Liz to have sex with her hot Italian teacher because not only did the movie give us multiple signs that was going to happen, but he was also the least creepy man in the movie and the one Roberts had the most chemistry with. Then it never happened!
Also, she chose to get into prayer because her boyfriend (whom she is consciously trying not to be like) is into it? There’s so much about Eat Pray Love that is unsatisfying. From the writing, to the filmmaking to the lack of Viola Davis. YES, pre-global fame Viola Davis is in this movie for a brief amount of time and even her indisputable star power wasn’t enough to save this movie.
Was there a time when we as a movie-watching public earnestly believed that JULIA ROBERTS could be seduced by and subsequently hung up on the likes of JAMES FRANCO? That is without question the most unbelievable and bizarre thing about Eat Pray Love which is saying a lot. You guys, Liz is FLUSTERED around David, Franco’s character. Of all the hot young actors Murphy knew even back in 2010, he cast Franco? That’s Liz’s rebound? I just don’t buy that she’s so heartbrokenly hung up on JAMES FRANCO well into this movie. Billy Crudup I can believe but not JAMES FRANCO. Speaking of Roberts, she has given better performances in better dramas, rom-coms and movies based on true stories, all of which Eat Pray Love tries and fails to be. Her lead performance is perfectly serviceable but this ho-hum project is a squandering of her considerable talents and charm. Honestly, I would not be surprised if you told me that the main cast signed on to do this movie solely so they could travel to these truly incredible locations. Of everything that Eat Pray Love attempts the only thing it’s successful at is igniting my desire to travel abroad very soon.
Yes to eating, yes to praying, yes to loving but no to this movie. Like I said, any type of enlightenment or enjoyment that you would hope to get from this movie can be much more easily found in a multitude of movies that are leaps and bounds above this one. This movie did not eat, I prayed it would have and ultimately I did not love it.
Have you seen Eat Pray Love?
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