I watched a preview of the new film “Eat Pray Love” last night. This is the film that has been made in response to the huge success of the book written by Elizabeth Gilbert. My friend had been asked to be on the panel at the end of the film discussing the spiritual aspect of the film. She’s a yoga teacher and has been to the same Ashram as Elizabeth Gilbert in India so was able to talk with knowledge and interest about that part of her journey.
To be honest I was slightly dreading seeing the film, given that I’d read (and then re-read) the book and like many women, identified on lots of different levels with Liz Gilbert’s external and internal search for peace and happiness. Her battle to accept that her choices in life were important and that “some people examine their lives, others accept” and her efforts to follow and listen to her heart instead of her head – to discover that “the resting place of the mind is the heart”.
I too have been through a difficult divorce and so felt, like her, that “the only thing more unthinkable than leaving was staying and the only thing more impossible than staying was leaving”. The one big difference (apart from a best selling novel which I would have to call “Drink, F*ck Up and Fall Over”), which stopped me from taking a grown-up gap year after my marriage fell apart was that I had three children to look after. Disappearing for a year to find myself was not an option. But she very kindly took me and 7 million other women on her journey with her – her search for answers, her humour, her vulnerability, her need for passion, for living and loving and successfully made us like her – because we identified with her quest and she has struck a chord in the lives of many modern women.
However. I was deeply worried about the film. How they were going to present each country and each part of her journey. Her search and discovery of God. The religious versus the spiritual aspect. In fact, I think it works quite well. They’ve kept it simple. Almost removed the God bit. It is a more commercial version of the book, but that’s to be expected. Julia Roberts played a relatively difficult part well. There are a lot of close-ups required to portray expression and she does do close-ups well.
The cinematography was stunning. Italy and it’s vibrance was captured beautifully. India colourful, but more than a little stereotypical and Bali a little bit more bland than the real thing…..however some stunning visual images nevertheless.
Talking of stunning visual images – any faults in the film were more than made up for by the lovely array of eye candy chosen for her key men. Not sure about her husband, played by Billy Crudup (which was the point), but her boyfriend – played by James Franco AKA Harry Osbourne in Spiderman is just GORGEOUS and Javier Bardem is perfect for the role of Felipe – I love him. Disappointingly, Brad Pitt stayed on the other side of the camera in the role of Executive Producer. To be honest, I feel a bit cheated about that – GET IN THE PICTURE. I wanted him to play someone – anyone…..although obviously he couldn’t have played the role of her husband because she would have got no sympathy from us for leaving him.
It’s out in the UK on the 24th September and I’m quite sure that groups of women all round the country will enjoy the experience hugely. I really can’t see the men liking it though – even if you are a Julia Roberts fan – but I guess that’s why they’ve put all those gorgeous men in….:-
Zed
September 10, 2010The Twat made an excellent review of this book that is worth publishing itself, it’s so funny. I have my nose stuck in Stieg Larsson’s ‘The Girl Who Played With Fire’ at the moment as I couldn’t put the first book down – despite the dreadful translation.
Dulwich divorcee
September 10, 2010Oh I was asked to be on the panel too! But the email arrived just after I had said yes to a dinner – and to be honest I would have found it pretty scary. Really sorry I missed seeing you xx
Family Affairs
September 10, 2010what a shame – you wouldn’t have found it scary as it was very informal…Lx
Julie C
September 10, 2010Can’t wait to see the film now – I love Felipe although he was 52 in the book!
Family Affairs
September 10, 2010He looks 52 in the film! Lx
Jake
January 24, 2011Very good post.
Watch The Trial 2 2010 at
http://flamerwarz.com/2010/11/eat-pray-love-2010/