OMG we saw Eat, Pray, Love! And we didn’t even need the Zirconmania mala beads or EPL-inspired Lancome lip gloss. What we did need at the end was a big plate of spaghetti.
Overall, eavesdropped exit reviews were positive, but seeing a movie late-night the day before it comes out means the crowd is in part hardcore superfans, part blogger dorks, ahem, and part bored folks with nothing better to do on a Thursday night, so it’s difficult to gauge. The film is currently at 36% on Rotten Tomatoes, but a few top critics like The New York Times‘ A.O. Scott seemed to enjoy it, with his favorable review almost as long as the film itself.
OK, we came, we saw, we experienced EPL in all its motion picture glory. Here’s the YD 2 cents, in 5 points you can take to the bank, or spend on 1/1000th of the candle set!
1. Julia is ravishing, simply luminous. She may have earned that $20 mil or whatever.
2. EAT before you go! Gratuitous shots of Italian food – warning: spaghetti porn! – and the film’s over 2-hour duration will have you wishing you did. (TIP: if you have to go to the bathroom during the movie, we recommend it’s somewhere around the 3rd or 4th time you see Julia gorging on Italy’s rich cuisine).
3. There can be a successful movie that focuses on and celebrates an intelligent female trotting the globe, finding her Self, discovering comfort in autonomy and learning to be ok with her thoughts, fears and desires. However, translating this to the big screen can end up feeling bland and shallow. Also, as in the book, in finding her ‘balance’ she ends up with a guy, so feminists can have at that one.
4. It’s hard to capture an inner journey, but darn it if that scenery isn’t beautiful.
5. For all the marketing hype and crazy merchandising, the movie is almost exactly what you’d expect if you read the book. Saying that, you may be utterly delighted, or vastly underwhelmed.
If you go see it, let us know what YOU think.
Earlier…
NY Post: Eat, Pray, Hype, and the Disenfranchised Enlightenment Junkies
registration is now open for my Eat Pray Love Tour of India….
http://lindasyoga.blogspot.com/2010/08/my-eat-pray-love-tour-of-india.html
Yawn.
Jane and I going tomorrow night. Unlike most guys, I love chick flicks, and I’m manly enough to say so!
Will let you know what I think.
Bob W.
My daughter (16 yrs old) and I saw it…it was kind of blah. Actually it was a lot blah. Scenery was gorgeous though. I think it’s really hard to make a movie about and inner journey. I was overall, pretty disappointed. (Yes, I had read the book then listened to it as I found Gilbert whiny).
I liked it! Didn’t you think the first meditation scene was hilarious? I loved when she was cursing her roommate. I wrote my review here: http://jamieonthemat.com/2010/08/14/eat-pray-love-the-book-the-movie-the-empire/
Put me in the vastly underwhelmed category. It may be a baby step in the right direction — spiritual growth — but that’s about it. The most disappointing thing for me, an India lover, is that it doesn’t show the beauty of India — in fact, it makes colourful, sun-filled India look dreary. Here’s my review: http://breathedreamgo.com/2010/08/film-review-of-eat-pray-love/
Mariellen
aka BreatheDreamGo
I’m kind of mixed. I didn’t love the book, I actually thought Liz was really neurotic and sort of irritating after awhile. Being a yogi and married to a Patel, I thought the part in India would have me spellbound, but I actually stopped reading the book halfway through the India portion because it was irritating. I thought they left quite a bit out of the movie, but I guess there’s only so much you can cram into two hours. It’s beautiful to watch, made me want to eat(!!!), and made me want to travel! And let’s face it, Javier Bardem is pretty easy on the eyes.
I will look forward to it. My friend told me it was good. We’ll see.. Thanks for sharing this info.
I read the book and enjoyed it, and have commented on other blogs in defense of Elizabeth’s memoir (it is a memoir, essentially, isn’t it?). Many people felt they couldn’t relate to Liz’s situation, and that’s completely fair. Others love the book, finding inspiration from what they view as an adventurous and spiritual journey. That’s fair too. I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I always love a book better than the movie – that’s predictable! What I did see was innumerable instances of merchandising and (naively?) found it surprising…the Home Shopping Network EPL-athon was kind of stomach-turning. This is where the spirit of the book and the Hollywood manifestation of EPL diverge. T-shirts, posters, coffee mugs is one thing…but rampant commercialization leaves a poor taste in the mouth that can’t be washed away with good Italian wine and spaghetti and meatballs.
In the beginning she tearfully, earnestly prays to God — “Hi, nice to meet you, thanks for everything! Help me find you…”
By the end of her journey she has apparently ‘discovered’ that — “Oh, I’m God!”
So, never mind, God.
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