Eat, Love Pray Takes Us On A Great Cinematic Trip. by Art Byrd

We all like to eat, we all want to be loved and some of us pray. One movie has put those three elements together.

The movie is based on the 2006 bestseller memoir, Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
The story is about a woman who takes a year off and travels to Rome, India and Bali to find herself.

If there is any women or actress that I would follow on a cinematic trip like this it would be Oscar winner Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovich, Closer).  Roberts is perfect for this film because she can show so many ranges of emotions for the changes the character is going through. Roberts’s smile can light up Powers Auditorium, her laugh is full and her sorrow is heartfelt.

The movie starts with Liz (Roberts), a travel writer who visits Ketut Liyer played by Hadi Subiyanto in Bali who is a local medicine man. In the interview, they shared a moment when Ketut tells Liz that her life will change and they will meet again.

After returning to her life, she starts to realize that she is not happy and doesn’t want to be married anymore to Stephen played by Billy Crudup (Watchman).

Still trying to find herself on her own, Liz meets an actor David played by James Franco (Spiderman movie series, Milk) who takes her life in a different direction which she likes. Then, Liz starts to feel dissatisfy again.

She explains to her good friend, Delia played by Viola Davis (Doubt, Law Abiding Citizen) . She needed to change and tell her about the man from Bali. I love this line from Liz, “When a man who looks like Yoda hands you a prophecy you have to respond.” Liz decides to leave for a year.

The greatness of this movie is to watch someone live the life they want.

In Rome, Liz is tries to learn Italian. Soon, she is meeting people,  eating great food and speaking fluent Italian. There is a great scene where she and her Sweden friend, Sofi played Tuva Novotny by order pizza but Sofi doesn't want to eat the pizza because she doesn’t want look fat. Liz convinces her to eat and enjoy. Then, they go shopping for bigger pants. Very cute scene. The scene is Rome are my favorites.

Then, Liz goes to India where she is living in a cult like retreat. Her insecurities return but there is Richard played by Richard Jenkins (The Visitor) who has a terrible situation that he is dealing with. He teaches Liz to let go.

One the last stop, Liz reunites with Ketut who doesn’t remember her until she shows him the pictures he gave her.

He starts to guide her on a spiritual journey. On a bike ride, Liz is almost run over by Felipe played by Javier Bardem in his car.

Their courtship is very sincere, funny and romantic. 

Eat Pray Love was directed by Ryan Murphy who created Nip/Tuck and the current hit, Glee. Murphy makes use of the great locations that set it up that we are exploring along with Liz.

Eat Pray Love can make you feel great that you went on the journey with Liz and envious that many of us may not take a year off for such a journey.

Edited by Michele Ristich Gatts