Eat Pray Love
Eat Pray Love (2010)
Okey doke, reviewing my favourite films was proving too much pressure! What could I possibly say about ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ that hasn’t already been said? I’m moving the goal posts. From now it will be ‘What Film Did I Watch Last Night As I Opened That Second Bottle of Malbec?’. (Also thanks to some helpful critique I’m gonna try and keep it Netflix friendly. I do enjoy critique).
First up is 2010’s adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert’s self-help book. Let’s get this out the way; if you like Julia Roberts you will love this. If you don’t, you may struggle. Just saying. It’s a light but long film.
From director Ryan Murphy, the puppet-master behind Jessica Lange’s psychotic nun and Kathy Bates’ vile 19th Century racist torturer in ‘American Horror Story’. Let’s just agree he’s good with actresses.
Roberts plays a woman bored with her New York lot and throws in the towel to discover food in Italy, spirituality in India and love in Bali. I’ve mentioned before I adore it when actors eat. This film is erotica to me.
I also appreciate when actors don’t shout. The quietness of real conversations even when the topic is volcanic. Something that has lingered with me for twenty years is a scene in TV’s Cold Feet. John Thomson comes home to his wife Fay Ripley sat at the kitchen table and out of the blue she calmly says “I’m not in love with you anymore”. Oof. No drama. No affair. Just truth. Love it!
There are plenty of those scenes here too. One night Julia’s husband says he doesn’t wanna go to Aruba and she replies that she doesn’t want to be married anymore. Check. mate.
One of my favourite scenes is her phone conversation with James Franco. It’s an excellent portrait of a heavy-hearted yet respectful break up. No bad guys, just rejection. (Actors, for stillness, check it out 1h11m in).
I do love Julia Roberts. Her delivery, her smile, the vein in her forehead. When she prays every word lands in the right place like a Tetris block.
Some people bore on that she only ever plays herself. To that I suggest try playing yourself while saying someone else’s words. Trust me you’ll be wooden.
Ryan Murphy makes outstanding TV. If you haven’t seen it yet check out ‘Feud’. It’s perfect. As a filmmaker he needs to edit! Just trim away, Ryan. A good 30 minutes off this and it would score a perfect 10.
Starring three Oscar winners; Roberts, Javier Bardem and Viola Davis this film was nominated for nothing. They couldn’t even scrape a Golden Globe nom for Julia. Brutal.
This joyous romp is crammed with parables, my favourite being;
“There's a wonderful old Italian joke about a poor man who goes to church every day and prays before the statue of a great saint, begging, "Dear saint-please, please, please...give me the grace to win the lottery." This lament goes on for months. Finally the exasperated statue comes to life, looks down at the begging man and says in weary disgust, "My son-please, please, please...buy a ticket."
8 Bolognaise Stained Thumbs Up!
