Writer: Goh Wen Xuan

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Watch this if you liked: “Julie And Julia”, “Under The Tuscan Sun”

Based on the acclaimed novel "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia", the movie definitely garnered much attention, as both director Ryan Murphy ("Running With Scissors", "Glee") and lead actress Julia Roberts ("Closer", "Valentine's Day") collaborate for the very first time. With star-studded cast including Javier Bardem ("No Country For Old Men") and James Franco ("Date Night"), "Eat Pray Love" definitely scores full marks for fans of the book itself.

"Eat Pray Love" starts off with writer Elizabeth 'Liz' Glibert visiting Bali for the very first time. A medicine man tells her certain prophecies that would lead her to a failed marriage and monetary issues in the near future. True enough, she finds herself leaving her husband, and taking a year off from her career to embark on a spiritual journey throughout Italy (Eat), India (Pray) and Indonesia (Love).

True to the book, "Eat Pray Love" is peppered with quotes, philosophical thoughts and heartfelt stories of people Liz meet. Although the movie is a condensed version of the book, the reviewer loved how director Ryan Murphy manages to insert Liz's past memories, or simple scenes from her imaginations. That certainly bonds the whole storyline together, making the audiences understand better as to how Liz finds her own self during this journey. Every journey that Liz makes was jarring, but not in a bad way. Stark contrast of each country magnified the state of mind that she would be facing the moment she arrives in a new place: Italy - good food, merrymaking; India - poverty, chaotic; Indonesia - tranquil, mystical.

Julia Roberts may be the core of the story, but it is the people around her that make it worthwhile to keep watching. While Liz tries to shake off her divorce guilt, people around her constantly reminds her of how she should be thankful and fortunate for her realisation to leave her comfort zone in New York. Although several natives in the movie like Balinese actors constantly keep the reviewer guessing as to what they have conveyed in the dialogue, the movie fortunately has subtitles for the foreign dialogues. And Julia Roberts did mention a "Terima Kasih" (Thank You) in the very end of the movie!

Do go watch this if you're a big fan of the book, or you are able to relate to Liz's loss and grief (because the quotes might sound cheesy to some); avoid this if you just can't stand Julia Roberts smooching James Franco and Javier Bardem with her 'luscious lips', or if you possess a certain 'stone-cold heart'.

Cinema Online, 25 September 2010