Movies

"Eat Pray Love" Review: You May Cry, But It May Not Be Worth It

A A A Comments (7) By Karina Longworth Thursday, Aug 12 2010

Lusciously shot by Oscar winner Robert Richardson (The Aviator, JFK), Eat Pray Love delivers a sensory overload as intense as Inception's. But it's heavily calibrated to stir the hearts, loins, and tear ducts of women for whom love handles and spiritual bankruptcy are of equally pressing concern.

Roberts and Bardem stroll through a rush of self-improvement.

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Julia Roberts' Liz leaves behind flaky husband Billy Crudup and "Yonkers yogi" boy-toy James Franco to embark on a year-long solo walkabout, with stops in Italy, India, and Bali. Writer/director Ryan Murphy keeps emotional currents bubbling on the surface, serving up near-constant catharsis but hardly any arc—the title is a spoiler in three parts. As vicarious travelogue, EPL stumbles by flattening its loaded locations into (beautifully photographed) set dressing.

Politics and economics hardly exist; each place is populated chiefly by wise exotics who talk funny (including Richard Jenkins's Texan in the ashram) and exist solely to spout slogans and tell stories that make Liz's problems seem small: "Believe in love again!" "Americans know entertainment, but not pleasure!" "It won't last forever—nothing does!" Liz's happily-ever-after hookup with hunky divorcée Javier Bardem should be EPL's glorious guilty-pleasure crescendo; instead, it's a rushed foregone conclusion.

Though targeted at the same female filmgoers who flocked to the self-realization via food porn of Julie and Julia, EPLis a comparative downer, offering the rush of self-improvement without having to do any of the work. I cried. Mission accomplished?

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Marc 08/17/2010 6:00:00 PM

Not a fan of this movie at all. Basically the message is that if you're feeling bored and unsatisfied in your marriage, don't bother going to counseling and trying to work through the issues. Ignore your vows, leave your family, and indulge yourself by doing whatever you want to do regardless of whether it's wrong or right, while justifying it with fortune cookie philosophy. If that sounds like a viable solution to you, well, God bless. Karl Marx famously said "Religion is the opiate of the masses". Looks like nowadays selfish self indulgence is the new opiate.
Joy 08/17/2010 5:59:00 PM

Typical Julia Roberts flick, big smiles and giggles.
Debbie 08/17/2010 3:08:00 AM

Although it isn't realistic for most women to take a year off to "find themselves" in some of the most beautiful countryside I've ever seen, this movie was wonderful to watch. I cried a little and came home a better person I think. It isn't a self-help novel in film but it will make you take a look at how you live your life.
Chandra 08/16/2010 5:18:00 PM

I saw this movie yesterday and yes, it WAS cathartic...to me. If you have been blessed enough not to have endured anything close to that emotional roller coaster, the movie may not be appreciated but for me, it presented so many thought points to help me through my own emotional roller coaster. On the radio this morning, a young intern of the station said she fell asleep in the movie but then again, she may not have experienced enough of life to be able to relate. I personally thought the movie was great, it was funny, sad, emotional and had beautiful location sites. And yes, I did cry, in the many moments I saw my own life within those scenes. I think both men and women would benefit from a relationship standpoint to see this movie.
BB 08/15/2010 4:13:00 PM

ok, so did u like the movie or not, if yes, why? if not why? i think that is the reason for your pay check. earn it!!!
James 08/13/2010 11:05:00 PM

Is this a good review or a bad one?
Jada 08/12/2010 7:46:00 PM

I think there needs to be a review written on this review. Can you use more twisted sentences next time... It's too easy to understand what you are saying... Geesh..speak English-

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