Even Julia Roberts can’t make Elizabeth Gilbert less annoying or self-absorbed, but this adaptation of Gilbert’s best-selling memoir about her year spent in Italy, India and Bali still has its moments. Most of those moments involve food… or Javier Bardem.
When I read Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat Pray Love a few years ago, I found her to be man-crazy, obsessed with navel-gazing, and not at all relatable. As I love traveling and have a special place in my heart for Bali (it’s where my husband proposed), I’d been looking forward to a travelogue, but what I got instead was an overload of inner thoughts from a woman in her 30s who couldn’t feel complete if she didn’t have a guy attached to her hip. Needless to say, I was disappointed with the book.
I had higher hopes for the big-screen adaptation, simply because I knew there really wasn’t a way for Glee creator Ryan Murphy to film all of Gilbert’s incessant, ego-centric babbling. He’d have no choice but to focus on the more action-oriented parts of the book — and, of course, the beautiful countries Gilbert visited while trying to recover from a nasty divorce. In the film, Gilbert is portrayed by Julia Roberts, who I thought might deliver a kinder, gentler version of the author. That didn’t happen — Gilbert still comes off as a kinda crazy you-know-what. Early on, she’s shown crying on the floor in the middle of the night and praying to God for the first time ever: “Tell me what to do!!!!” But the audience has no idea what’s so wrong in her life. Sure, her husband (Billy Crudup) seems a bit aimless, but he was only on-screen for about ten minutes before Gilbert’s breakdown scene. So what exactly is the problem with their marriage? Why does she want out after eight years?
Next, before you know it, the couple is divorced and Gilbert is shacking up with a Hot Young Thang in the form of James Franco. But within another fifteen minutes, she’s crying on the floor of HIS place, moaning about how she “can’t do this.” Huh? Wha— ?
Perhaps Murphy was trying to drive home the point that Gilbert is a very messed-up individual and that the men she’s loved and left had done nothing wrong, but to the audience, the set-up to Gilbert’s yearlong trip is a bit bewildering. Since the film clocks in at over two and a half hours, he might have been better off chopping all of the intro and simply providing a quick explanatory voiceover (which Roberts delivers during several other scenes) about how and why this woman ended up taking her soul-searching journey. Oh, and it might have also been nice to clue the audience into the fact that Gilbert funded her adventures with her book advance (the movie makes it seem like she’d lost all her money and was running on financial fumes during her year abroad).
Once Gilbert lands in Italy, things perk up substantially. A scene where she relishes in a gorgeous plate of spaghetti pomodoro (a scene some have described as “food porn”) is nothing short of brilliant. The friends she meets in Rome are cool and funny, and I felt like an entire film could’ve been made out of this leg of Gilbert’s trip. But then it was on to India, where Elizabeth meets Richard from Texas (Richard Jenkins), who was my favorite character in the book, but not nearly as funny in the film. He’s meant to smack some sense into the clueless author — he tells her his harrowing tale of the depths of his alcoholism — yet by the time she hits Bali she’s back to griping about why she can’t find “balance.” You want to shake her and shout, “Good God, woman! You have an awesome life — what in the hell is WRONG WITH YOU?!? Snap out of it!”
Thankfully, Javier Bardem enters the picture quickly thereafter. He’s Felipe, the smoldering older man that Gilbert will eventually marry (though curiously that is not mentioned in the film, either). He’s also a divorcee and hesitant to begin another relationship, but compared to Gilbert he’s the most happy-go-lucky person on the planet. He’s just what she needs to start enjoying life again. And after the downer that was the India segment, he’s the breath of fresh air that the audience needs, as well.
All in all, I liked Eat Pray Love better than its paper-based companion. I’m actually glad that Elizabeth Gilbert wasn’t sweetened up for the silver screen, but I do wish — for the sake of those who haven’t read the book — that the build-up to her life-altering trip was less muddled. Even the series of flashbacks to her marriage and her relationship with Franco’s boy-toy character weren’t enough to explain why the writer chose to leave everything behind. But once she has bid adieu to the United States, the film delivers breathtaking scenery, spectacular colors and even a few laughs. It captures the joy of traveling better than the book did, and for that, I was thankful. Those hoping to leave the theater enlightened, however, need to look elsewhere.
Posted on August 13, 2010 at 12:19 pm
thank you, thank you, thank you for this frank review and for the peace of mind that I was not the only person on the planet that felt this way about the book. It is like you took the words out of my mouth. Everyone else I ever said this to looked at me like I was nuts. Now, in 5 years, when this film is on the Saturday afternoon movie marathon, I might just not turn it off.
Posted on August 13, 2010 at 2:37 pm
I felt the same way about the book…could hardly get through it. Glad I wasn’t the only one. I have zero desire to see the movie.
Posted on August 14, 2010 at 2:53 am
I just came back from seeing it at the Rave in LA, and I literally fell asleep 1/3 way into the movie…I’ve never fell asleep in a movie before. If it were not because I went with another person, I’d have walked out and spared myself of the other 2/3 of the movie that just dragged on and on…What a disappointment! I was expecting it to be at least decently entertaining…Boy! It failed that by a long shot! Do your soul-searching elsewhere. This one will only make you regret you boought the large popcorn…”for this?!”
Posted on August 14, 2010 at 10:07 am
This is an awesome review. I saw the movie yesterday and planned to write a review as well. I had NOT read the book, so what you’ve written here is incredibly helpful.
I didn’t find the character in the movie self-absorbed or ego-centric, so perhaps it was because you read the book first that you felt that way.
I do agree completely with the weird way that her trip was introduced. It didn’t matter so much that she left relationships inexplicably – all that matters is that she was dissatisfied.
But to leave your entire life behind means something more. Family? Friends? Career?
It would have helped to know that her book advanced funded the trip… that’s crucial information. If I had known she had planned to write the book before she took the trip, fell in love, found her “spiritual self,” – well, let’s just say that now those events are tainted. It’s hard for me to believe now that she did not make them up.
Posted on August 14, 2010 at 12:25 pm
I actually loved the book, and find Elizabeth Gilbert to be very relatable. But the movie showed none of the heartfelt depth, or even explained ANYTHING that was going on in the book. If you hadn’t read the book you would have been entirely clueless as to what was going on in the movie. The director, who also wrote the screenplay left TOO much out and took a lot of liberties as well. He didn’t even show much of the beauty of Italy, India and Indonesia… A total confusing disappointment.
Posted on August 14, 2010 at 12:49 pm
I have read the book and will be seeing the movie this afternoon. All I can say is that you have obviously not been through the trauma of divorce and being in an unhappy marriage. The part you specifically mention about her laying on the bathroom floor, crying, well, I spent many nights doing that myself, wondering how I’d get out. Her story is relatable to those of us women, who have suffered through similiar circumstances. I did not find her to be crazy or ego-centric. Actually I believe at the heart of her story is the fact that she was successful, had many “things” and this did not bring her happiness, which is true for most people. Granted not all of us are afforded the luxury of a global expedition to get to know ourselves, but in sharing her story and how she dealt with her pain, I found this to be incredibly inspiring. Again, if you write this review as a happily married woman, it would be hard to relate to.
Posted on August 14, 2010 at 1:10 pm
I haven’t read the book, but i was interested in the movie because of the background. I thought that the setting alone would be interesting. To see the three most beautiful places on Earth, except there was very little of the world actually in the film. I didn’t hate the movie, but I was a little disengaged to the whole plot, and now after reading this I understand why. The movie wasn’t a total waste, I enjoyed the film and the 2.5 hours I spent in a theater alone uninterrupted ( the kids went to see something else), but I wouldn’t recommend it.
Posted on August 14, 2010 at 3:49 pm
I agree with KB. It was actually hard for me to relate to the author of this article. I guess we see whatever is inside of us.
Posted on August 14, 2010 at 6:38 pm
I tried reading Gilbert’s book twice, but the second time didn’t make it to Indonesia. The whininess and self-centeredness turned me off–and I have no desire to read her second book. However, I’m off to see the movie for the travelogue portion of it, and maybe Julia will make it more palatable. However…. 2 and a half hours…… Think I’ll take a pillow and hope I make it to Indonesia!
Posted on August 14, 2010 at 6:38 pm
I enjoyed the book and the movie. I think the young lady was experiencing mid life early and dared to experience life for a change. Not letting status quo dictate how she would lead the rest of her life. We are all in charge of who we will be and what steps that we take. Balance is key to our relationships with others and God. I think she found out who she was and how she wanted to spent her time living. She found a balanced life which is a blessing.
Posted on August 14, 2010 at 6:46 pm
I read the book, but have not seen the movie. I love your opening words “Even Julia Roberts can’t make Elizabeth Gilbert less annoying or self-absorbed…”. This is exactly how I saw Gilbert while reading the book as well. I understand that divorce is a terrible experience, but there was no explanation behind the strong emotions Gilbert was expressing. Call me crazy, but I like to see some semblance of logic behind a characters’ actions when I am reading. I couldn’t relate at all to Gilbert. As the matter of fact, this book just made me mad. It just seemed to me that she took advantage of her connections as a writer and got herself a free around-the-world pity party during which she whined, gained weight, and broke personal commitments (celibacy). Now that I know that Julia Roberts tries to remain true to Gilbert’s representation of herself, I doubt that I’ll see the movie. Thanks for the great review!
Posted on August 14, 2010 at 7:36 pm
I did not agree with what you said about the book. It is not about her being self aborbed or the details with men and her husband as it is about the inner turmoil and peace inside oneself. If you don’t get it then you probably have never had an emotional issues cause for me it was definetly relatable and I could feel her emotions and transitions spiritually and emotionally in the book and how her surroundings and people effected her. I really liked the book and am hoping the movie does it justice.
Posted on August 14, 2010 at 7:49 pm
I am planning on seeing this movie soon. I actually read the book a few months ago and literally could not put it down! I do not personally agree with this review at all. I think it is even more shallow than what they are claiming Elizabeth Gilbert is. The book may not be everyone’s taste, but it is DEFINITELY very well written, interesting, unique and colorful! I felt that her story was very relatable even though I’ve never personally experienced divorce. I think it is a story, not just about recovering from divorce and a life full of failed relationships, but about recovering from a life of disappointments and frustration with oneself, which if most of us are honest, we can relate to on some level. It was very inspiring to me and I look forward to seeing the movie!!! (I give the book a 5+!)
Posted on August 14, 2010 at 8:35 pm
KB says it all..to the critics out there of the book (I have yet to see the film), isn’t this what all of us would like to do..a bit of envy..have you ever suffered emotional pain to the point of wanting to run..to seek..to learn..to be a little crazy..I have. If you haven’t, you haven’t lived. I thought it was interesting how she looked at herself..how she searched for herself..and what she did about it. Hey, we’re all going through some kind of storm..it’s just a view of how one woman dealt with “LIFE”.
Posted on August 15, 2010 at 6:27 am
I read the book last year ( summer of 2009). Loved the book, did not feel it was about self absorbtion. I believe we all can learn from others life stories. The MOVIE I saw last night with a friend, it was a little different than the book, but I loved Julia Roberts playing the part and thought she did a great job. I will say I liked the book better and think every woman should read it. It is a great book on spiritual journay and getting answers in her life that allowed her to live a more peacefull meaningful life without thinking she “HAD” to have children to do that.
Posted on August 15, 2010 at 7:26 am
I am planning on seeing this movie soon.
Posted on August 16, 2010 at 9:59 am
I saw the movie yesterday and I agree pretty much with the reviewer here.I felt parts of it were confusing and there was no resolution in the end to the story.It also could have been a lot shorter in length parts of it dragged to me.
Posted on August 18, 2010 at 6:42 pm
I saw it on opening day and it was pretty good.