Eat Pray Love

Before I go see a movie I like to read the book beforehand so I kind of know what it is about, and also so I don’t have a preconceived image in my head while reading the book.  In this case, I started to read it but only got through the “Eat” part of the book.

The story is fairly true to what I read from the book.  It is a story of a woman who goes through a divorce, and the journey she takes to find her way back to herself and happiness.  She not only takes this journey within herself, but to Italy, India, and Indonesia.

Aside from the fact that Julia Roberts is mesmerizingly beautiful on screen (which we all know), she portrays the character of Elizabeth Gilbert with humor, depth, and honestly.  I sometimes view how well an actor does in a movie if I think  about their personal life during the movie (since I am such a celebriophile).  In this case, I didn’t.  Not even once.  I firmly believed that she was Elizabeth Gilbert.  No denying, she is a terrific actress.  This is her best role since Erin Brockovich with a little Pretty Woman thrown in.

Me, being obsessed with food, loved the scenes in Italy where she is eating.  And eating.  And eating some more.  It was fabulous, and made me what to go to Italy and do that very same thing.  The scenes in India are heartbreaking and joyous at the same time.  You see the beauty of the ashram juxtaposed against the incredible poverty of the area.  The scenes in Indonesia are visually stunning.

This is a total “Chick Flick”.  It’s empowering to see a woman pursuing what makes her happy and choosing how to live her life and how she is defined by herself and others.  What she did as far as finding herself and her happiness we can all, and should to.  How she did it is not that realistic.  Most have families to take care of (which she did not) and many do not have the financial resources to travel around the world for a year.

Watching this moving (and finishing the book) has encouraged me to continue on the path of finding myself.  Of course, without going through a divorce or traveling around the world.  Although traveling around the world, I must admit, would not be entirely horrible.