Review of Eat Pray Love (2010) by Ernest P — 14 Feb 2014

It's a nice film, but a little boring if I'm being honest. I'm not a big fan of Julia Roberts either, but her character in the film is likeable. I've heard stories that Julia Roberts is a b*tch in real life, when a person isn't very nice in real life it always puts me off their work. However JR has never been an amazing actress and her face kind of annoys me. Anyways enough bitchin'. Eat Pray Love is about a woman, Liz Gilbert who is stuck in an unhappy marriage and instead of fall into a humdrum existence of the whole 2.2 kids and the picket fence thing, she decides to go on an adventure and travel; she goes to Italy, India and Bali, meets lots of amazing people and eats good food (even Julia Roberts isn't super slim in the film) and falls in love. Liz learns that there's more to life than being materialistic and being in a relationship to validate your self worth (prior to travelling Liz enters another unsuccessful relationship after her divorce).

I love the concept of the film; I love the idea of escaping the norms and expectations and going for your dreams and trying new things. Liz is judged for her decision to quit her marriage and travel; her friends think that she is behaving like a college student. Liz realises that marriage and babies aren't the path to happiness and I couldn't agree more. Nowadays people still have a plan; get married, get a mortgage, have babies and they think it equals happiness. However by following the norms you only loose yourself. I'm a woman who whilst open to getting married, I don't want kids and I don't want to feel like I have to follow the herd and conform. I don't want to be one of those women who are like my friends are getting married, I should get married too; my friends are having babies, I should have one too. I want to live my life as I choose to; travelling, meeting new people, making new experience, being around people who inspire me, bettering myself as a person. So I think on that level the film relates to me because it's very much about challenging the norms and finding your own path to happiness so I really admire this film for doing that.

The acting was fair; Eat Pray Love also stars Javier Bardem, Billy Crudup and James Franco. All played their respective roles decently. I think I liked Richard Jenkins the best as I found his performance the most warm and emotive and the most likeable. He plays Richard, a Texan man that Liz befriends in an Indian ashram. Althought I think this film is refreshing and touching, I found it a bit too slow paced and I did find myself getting a bit bored. Although it's a very pleasant film, it's more something that my mum would like. I can't really related fully with the film as I'm only 22 and haven't been married or had that many life experiences. I still think this is a very nice film with a lot of deep messages about love, life, finding yourself and peace. It goes to show that its not only teenagers and people in their twenties who struggle to find themselves, people in their 30's and 40's and onwards can still struggle with it.

So my verdict is that it's a nice film with sincere performances and also visually stunning; the scenery is beautiful but for me I found it hard to completely identify with and it was a little boring to sit through. I don't think this film deserves the harsh ratings it got on RT. It's a really decent watch; it may not be for everyone, but it's still a nice film which is touching. It makes me want to go out there and travel.

Grade: C/C+.