My Thoughts on “Eat, Pray, Love”

I read the book Eat, Pray, Love a few years ago. We read it in my book club. I had mixed feelings about it. While I enjoyed parts of it and related to the Elizabeth Gilbert’s character in more ways than one, I felt that parts of it were self-indulgent and went on too long. I had no idea how I would feel about the film version until I walked by my local theater on Friday afternoon and saw the women (all women, yes) spilling onto the sidewalk. I decided it was on my must list and slipped out on my own last night.

If you’re a fan of the book and were one of the people who’s life was changed dramatically by Gilbert’s words, you may not be a fan of the film. There was no way they could include all the important scenes from the book (God, the Elephant — although they did include snippets of these pivotal moments). However, if you’re like me, you will enjoy the film and find relatable moments. The tale is about a writer who, after a difficult divorce, is unable to put the pieces of her life back together. She sets out on a year long journey to Italy, India and Bali, seeking balance and restoration.

I could relate to the character when I read the book, and I related to her just as much in the film. Julia Roberts plays Gilbert in a raw, realistic portrayal of a woman who is lost. After entering one relationship after another her entire life, she sets out to find herself, to be released from her painful memories and experiences. Her remedies include travel, food (lots of pizza and pasta in Italy), meditation (she joins an ashrum in India), a medicine man in Bali who teaches her how to embrace her life, good friends and helping people along the way (she helps a poor woman in Bali buy a house for her family).

The movie was directed by Ryan Murphy who has brought TV shows like Nip/Tuck & Glee to life. He also adapted the book to a screenplay, which I thought he did seamlessly and gracefully. If I were Elizabeth Gilbert, I think that I’d be pleased with the way the film turned out, even with all the star power that graced the screen.

In the book, it is made clear that Liz had a book deal in place before she went on her trip. That is how she was able to fund her trip, after losing everything in her divorce. In the film, this is not ever mentioned. I think this was a mistaken omission that would be helpful for the viewer to know. In the film, she loses all her money to her husband, goes on a trip around the world in style and somehow manages to have extra money to help people and rent fabulous houses.

I especially enjoyed Liz’s time spent in Italy. She seemed to be really enjoying herself and made some wonderful friends in the 4 months during her stay in Rome. She learned to love food, as well, devouring as much food in Italy as she possibly could. I wish that Julia Robert’s character put on weight to make the scenario more realistic. When I was reading the book, I got the impression that she ballooned. On screen, Julia Roberts looked the same from destination to destination which wasn’t very realistic. I read that the director believed that Gilbert lost a lot of weight before she went to Italy and put that amount of weight back on while living there, which would explain her lack of change in looks. In the book, she obviously changed shape and it would have been more realistic if Roberts did, too.

When I read the book, my interest deteriorated during her time in India. During this time, after having a fantastic, joyful time in Italy, she spends her time praying and meditating. She meets Richard, played by Richard Jenkins, another American trying to get over his guilt. He tells Liz that she can’t leave India until she forgives herself. He helps her map out the road she needs to take toward recovery. While in India, her visions of her ex-husband (played by Billy Crudup) and ex-boyfriend (played by James Franco) haunt her and she has to find a way to forgive and feel forgiven.

When Liz finally reaches Bali, she meets a man named Felipe (played by Javier Bardem). They fall in love and she has to decide whether she’s ready to take the plunge.
I heard women coming out of the theater, complaining that they had just wasted 2+ hours of their lives. I didn’t feel that way at all. There are beautiful shots of Italy, India, Bali that transported me into another world. I can’t take a year off, as I have my family and responsibilities, but it took me back to a time in my life when I could. I go through periods of instability. I am always seeking my balance and place on this earth. I could relate to Liz Gilbert in more ways than one. For that reason, I am a fan of this film.