Adapted from the best-selling memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert, stars Julia Roberts as a newly-divorced woman embarking on a journey of self-discovery. Also stars James Franco and Javier Bardem.
Liz Gilbert (Roberts) had everything a woman is supposed to want - a husband, a house, a successful career - but it just 'aint enough. Newly divorced and at a crossroads, Gilbert steps out of her comfort zone and embarks on a journey around the world that becomes a quest for self-discovery. In her travels, she discovers the true pleasures of food in Italy; the power of prayer in India, and, finally and unexpectedly, the inner peace and balance of true love in Bali.
I apologise, we feel bad, but there's no trailer available. ~Ed.
Of all books to turn into a movie, a spiritual memoir is surely the most problematic. Translating heartbreak is one thing but personal epiphanies, encounters with God and witty inner monologues don't have a natural home on the big screen. Because of that, Eat Pray Love, the cinematic version, feels too much like a film and less like Elizabeth Gilbert's real-life story. It's as though the "phenomenon" of Eat Pray Love got away on itself and, rather than casting a self-deprecating, unknown actress who could embody 30-something middle-class angst, they chose the biggest, richest movie star of the lot. And let's be honest: Julia Roberts has a face that could distract you from even the most thrilling plot.
The plot here doesn't quite hang together within its two-hour-plus limits either. One minute Liz has a husband, the next, a boyfriend, then suddenly she's complaining about putting on weight in Italy. Yeah, right.
The best part of the film is in India where we're introduced to Richard from Texas (Richard Jenkins), a character who yes, wants to save her but without fawning like the next joker, played by Javier Bardem. It's telling that Richard's back-story provides the film's most affecting scene, sweeping Liz's problems into woe-is-me oblivion.
As a travelogue, the film almost delivers. Glee director Ryan Murphy brings a much-needed dose of flamboyant colour and movement to the cinematography, (aside from a rather dull Italy – it can't have been easy shooting in Rome so perhaps that explains it). And Bali must be pleased. Its tourist numbers are sure to spike once this comes out.
By Rebecca Barry Hill, Flicks.co.nz
My favourite part of this movie was the travelling aspect, the different cultures and the message that no matter how different we may seem, we're all human. Yes, sounds cheesy... and it is a little, but in a good way! I saw this twice, and would gladly watch it again with friends. :)
Over indulgent, over long, over hyped- I was over it long before her predictable journey of self discovery was finally.......over!!
This was the perfect movie to watch with Mum, we laughed, cried and ate popcorn all the way through it. It would have got 5 stars from me, except one thing that knocked it down a star...was that it was sometimes difficult to understand the foreign accents and therefore we would miss some important plot or part in the film and be left trying to figure out what happened.
Touching and soul searching. The movie has it's phases and we loved Italy. It was an interesting way to put the story together. I wonder if the impact is partially determined by where you are in life. A 10 start rating system would be good because there are times you want to give half a star and you're forced to go up or down. We'd be a shade under 4 or closer to 3.5
This movie was great. It was a really funny. The best chick flick since (500) days of summer. Julia Roberts was so great
Shameless wish-fulfillment, a Harlequin novel crossed with a mystic travelogue, and it mercifully reverses the life chronology of many people, which is Love Pray Eat.
Eat Pray Love is based on the best-selling autobiographical book by writer Elizabeth Gilbert.
A beautiful, languid travelogue, although with some of the source novel's empowerment diluted.
The film never ventures, even once, into a situation that does not reek of comfy familiarity.
Director Ryan Murphy achieved a major casting coup in landing Julia Roberts to play Gilbert - or Liz, as she's called here. As it turns out, though, a lesser star may have been a better choice.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 14th Oct 2010.
Release date: October 14th 2010.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
