Movie Review: "Eat Pray Love"

Best Friend and I decided that a ‘chick day’ was much needed. And part of that day was going to be spent at the movies watching a chick flick.

We chose “Eat, Pray, Love” with Julia Roberts. I’d heard of the book but have not read it. So I had no expectations to be filled.




It’s one of those “is this all there is to life?” themes which can be thought provoking when done right. I did connect with her need to rediscover – or discover – herself. In the movie, she says “I used to have this appetite for food,… for life… and it is just gone…” That is one of my fears that I will someday feel that way.

I’m sure it was hard to cut the book down to a 2 hour, 15 minute movie. I think they did a fairly good job. The transitions weren’t jarring. The scenery was lovely. And from the credits it seems local actors might have been used in the locations.

While it goes thru a difficult life journey, the movie keeps a light side too. Particularly funny moments include the renting of her apartment in Italy… learning the ‘proper’ way to speak Italian… an attempted seduction in Bali… and her arrival in India.

After watching the movie, I pulled up info on the book and read some quotes. There are some excellent ones. "I am burdened with what the Buddhists call the 'monkey mind' -- the thoughts that swing from limb to limb, stopping only to scratch themselves, spit and howl." So I’m thinking perhaps those who have read the book might be disappointed because it seems the book may be a hard act to follow.

That being said, it’s a fun and thoughtful movie, an enjoyable matinee with your girl friends.

And you might want to hit a good Italian restaurant afterwards…