Why would anyone see Eat Pray Love? I saw because I’m a critic, its what I do. But why would anyone have any interest in seeing this film?
In Eat Pray Love, Julia Roberts stars as Elizabeth Gilbert, a woman who, after being fed up with ordinary life in the big city, goes on a year trek around the world. This true story is the tale of one woman trying to find her soul.
Eat Pray Love is well-made film. It is directed with skill by Ryan Murphy and the acting is excellent. Julia Roberts plays her usual character but the real standout is Richard Jenkins. After an Oscar-nominated turn as the lead in The Visitor, the seasoned veteran is back to supporting roles, and this one is fantastic. The film is also shot well, and the four main locations (New York, Italy, India, and Bali) are all shown beautifully. There is no question that this film is a professional Hollywood production, but at the same time there is nothing extraordinarily special about the filmmaking.
What is really worth talking about is the story that is told in the film. Mrs. Gilbert obviously had some issues she needed sorting out, and this journey apparently did a lot for her. Good for her. Now why should I care about watching it? Honestly, I have no clue what the appeal to the film is. Such an introspective story is well-suited to a book because, in a memoir, the author can go on at length about his or her thoughts and feelings. This does not work in cinema, however. Film is a visual medium and therefore showing is always better than telling. In order for such a one-character character piece to function properly, the audience must be able to empathize with the protagonist and this is the key flaw in Eat Pray Love.
Eat Pray Love was not painful to sit through, but nothing really happened, or at least nothing we could see. By the end of the movie, Gilbert has had a large change take place, but we’ve missed it. The third act saves this film from being a complete waste of time. After rejecting her ordinary husband in America, Gilbert meets a Brazilian (Javier Bardem) and struggles with her fear of attachment. This part of the story worked the best, just because there was another character who could interact with the protagonist in a meaningful way.
Eat Pray Love is a film that lacks conflict. Although I am sure that a soul-searching trek across the globe can do wonders for one’s life, it does not make for a good film. If you really want to experience what this movie wants you to experience, go travel around the world instead.
Rating: 
