Review: ‘Eat Pray Love’ fails to light up the Box Office

Spicezee Bureau

Elizabeth Gilbert’s 2006 memoir ‘Eat Pray Love’ is undoubtedly an international bestseller but its movie adaptation fails miserably at every count. Directed by Ryan Murphy, the movie, ‘Eat Pray Love’, is nothing but a disappointing effort at adapting a book that we are all so connected with. We connected, because at one point or the other in our lives, we all faced the same turmoil (emotional and professional), confusion and sadness as Elizabeth had. But sadly, Murphy fails badly in establishing that connection onscreen and Julia as Elizabeth is unable to convey the dilemmas that were so aptly stated in the book. Nowhere in the film, is one able to understand that what exactly makes Liz (played by Julia Roberts) so unsatisfied and gloomy in life. Why despite having a loving husband, a successful career as a travel writer and having a perfect home, is Liz so depressed? Nor does the filmmaker attempt in exploring the psyche of Liz, who cries and howls in the middle of the night for no given reason at all. And that’s not all, the film, largely fails to convey that what exactly forced Liz to take a divorce, leave her friends and family and the comfort of her home to travel across three countries (Italy, India and Bali) for a 12 month voyage. For those who have read the book, the movie will grossly disappoint. And the ones who haven’t read the book, the film will be nothing short of confusion. Wonder why? Well most of the back story has been chopped off. The scenes are haphazard and don’t have a connection. What makes matters worse is that the film is filled with clichés and stereotypes like Italians are always happy and love to indulge in animated conversations. Buffaloes, cows and elephants need to be in every frame of the film`s picturisation in India. So where the book is about self-discovery and soul–searching, the movie is shallow and petty. Even though the book is a must read for all the women folks, the movie can easily be given a miss. Rating: Two cheers for this one!