Eat, Pray...Eh.

So I saw Eat Pray Love yesterday. I couldn't stop thinking of these hysterical articles, so my experience was partially tainted by snarky comments about Javier Bardem's beard and the inclusion of too many Eddie Vedder songs. The film was mostly loyal to the book in terms of plot and character, but I felt like it lacked the depth and personal spirit that made the book so great. Gilbert is a talented and eloquent writer, and I loved how honest she was - you could feel and understand the year-long trip for her was very much a personal and spiritual enlightenment. That is how the movie is packaged, but without Gilbert's words guiding you through her story, so it has all the makings of being this profound, self-discovery story but it ultimately falls short. Ultimately it just wasn't translatable into film - there would have been far more voiceovers required of Julia Roberts than could have sanely fit into a (long) feature-length film. Also, the meditation aspects were glazed over and misinterpreted. And - although she does end up with the Brazillian dude in real life, too - the movie literally ended with them sailing off into the sunset. (Sorry to ruin the ending. Surprise!)

But it did get me excited to go to Italy.


P.S. There were three stellar rom com trailers before EPL. Clean shaven Jake is the cutest. And reunited with Anne Hathaway! My heart melts.

images via weheartit