To begin my assignment, I watched Eat Pray Love. I was surprised that I could not
rent this 2010 movie. I had to purchase it. I wonder why? Of course, I knew it was a chick flick, but I am open-minded and have enjoyed such movies in the past. I was especially looking forward to the segment of the movie that takes place in Rome, one of my favorite cities in the world. Eat Pray Love stars Julia Roberts, Javier Bardem, and Richard Jenkins.
The story starts as journalist Liz (Roberts) is having something of a spiritual crisis. She is married to a directionless man-child (Billy Crudup) and feels unfulfilled by the house she so meticulously decorated for them. On an assignment in Bali, she meets with a medicine man (Hadi Subiyanto) who tells her that she will remarry, lose all of her money (but get it all back), and find spiritual balance. It’s enough to set her on a journey of self-discovery—first, by leaving the husband and jumping straight into the arms of an actor played by James Franco then, by venturing on a yearlong trip around the world where she visits Italy, India, and Bali.
In Italy (“Eat” section), she feasts on amazing spaghetti carbonara and proscuitto with fresh figs and Neapolitan pizza, makes good friends, and wanders ancient ruins, contemplating her existence. In India (“Pray”), she goes to an ashram and meets a recovering alcoholic (Jenkins), who has been there long enough to give Liz advice on finding her inner voice. Finally, in Bali (“Love”), she meets back up with the medicine man and falls for a sexy Brazilian (Bardem), who, like her, has been hurt and is reluctant to take the leap.
From my male eyes Eat Pray Love is an average movie because my male brain does not see the world in the same way as a lady. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the travel component of this film and that it did not portray us males as devious and bad. I hesitantly recommend Eat Pray Love.