Eat Pray Love

February 4, 2012 - Julia Roberts travels the world in search of happiness in this 2010 movie based on the book by Elizabeth Gilbert. The supporting cast includes Viola Davis, James Franco and Javier Bardem.

Roberts plays Gilbert, a real-life travel writer whose marriage is not going well. They split up and she takes up with David, a young actor who plays a Buddhist in real life. The relationship works for a while until Gilbert decides that she needs more. So, she sets off on a year-long journey to find herself and to find happiness.

Gilbert's first stop is Italy. She meets Sofie, a Swede who's in Rome for reasons that we never really learn, and the two eat their way around the country. After a few months there, Gilbert heads to India and settles into life at an Ashram (think of it as a prayer resort). Then, finally, it's off to Bali where she literally runs into the man of her dreams.

Overall review: ** I didn't read the book, so I can't compare the movie to the book. But, I was familiar with the basic plot and, you might think, that combining personal drama with exciting locations would make for a decent movie. But, no. What you get is 2.5 hours of boring. I was ready for this movie to be over before Julia Roberts left India. Quite honestly, I didn't really care if Julia Roberts found happiness. I just wanted her to find something and the sooner, the better.