Finding inner peace and true love

Film review: Eat, Pray, Love

MANILA, Philippines - I love traveling and I can say that, for sure, any vacation enthusiast like me will truly adore the movie Eat, Pray, Love and the book on which it is based I dreamed of my self as the author Elizabeth Gilbert as she traveled to Italy (where I, like Gilbert, have sinfully indulged in my waistline’s mortal enemies: Spaghetti and pizza) — to eat, India (which I also have visited not to meditate but to see the Taj Majal a la Robin and Mariel) — to pray, and Bali (which I intend to visit soon to compare with my favorite Boracay) — to find balance and love. The movie would seem a very long two-hour and 20-minute film, but if you are a fan of the book and its lead actress Julia Roberts, you would not mind it even if you had to spend one whole day just watching it.

Eat, Pray, Love is the true story of Liz Gilbert (Julia), a successful American writer who, in her 30s, realizes that she is unhappy with her life and decides to leave her not-so-ambitious-but-very-much-in-love-with-her husband (Billy Crudup), their beautiful home and other conveniences in life, in order to find change. In a ludicrously short period of time, she hooks up with a gorgeous, much younger man (the ever so handsome James Franco) but again, the affair does not work out. Emotionally damaged and guilt-stricken over her failed relationships, Liz decides to spend one year away to deal with her self and find out what she really wants in life. In all three destinations, Liz finds new and vibrant experiences that allow her to rediscover herself.

In Italy, she bears witness to a unique kind of love that Italian men are known for: An unconditional love and respect for their mothers and a very intimate kind of personal care towards their children. Exposed to spellbinding, antiquated buildings, picturesque sculptures, and fountains, Liz experiences the genuine Italian culture of truly indulging in the art of pleasure. On her journey in discovering the pleasure of nourishment, she also meets friendly locals who graciously teach her the beautiful Italian language; and an attractive Swedish girl who helps her realize that she should love herself for what she is and do things because she enjoys it, and not merely to please others.

In India, a solemn ashram ushers Liz into the serene world of prayer. In her earnest efforts to attain tranquility through meditation, Liz is mesmerized by a local Indian teen who can meditate better than the 30-something traveler. Surprised by the reality of arranged marriages that are still prolific in a modern Indian society bustling with lively and exotic flea markets, Liz finds repose by listening to the kind advice of a new-found Texan friend (Richard Jenkins) who teaches her to forgive herself and urges her to believe in love again.

In Bali, Liz tours its panoramic beaches and quaint villages on her voyage to self-discovery and finding inner peace and balance of true love. In a land where foreigners and expats feel like kings and monarchs amidst an exotic Asian paradise, Liz learns of the simple pleasures and happiness of smiling through one’s mind, heart and liver from an old Indonesian friend. Through a brave, separated, physically abused local woman with a child to support, Liz discovers the joy of being able to share with those in need. It is in Bali, where she comes across a divorced Brazilian (Javier Bardem) who is willing to love her without boundaries and without any expectations.

Julia is perfect for her role and she acted so naturally I just thought of her all the time as the real Elizabeth Gilbert the way I imagined her to be while reading the book (to which Oprah Winfrey dedicated two episodes of her show!). As perfect as she is, and dominating the entire movie as the lead, she had outstanding supporting actors to back her up. Billy did his role so well as the husband who loved his wife so dearly that in the elevator scene where she catches him crying after he, without shame, pleaded that he does not want anything else but her, I wanted to slap Julia, shake her shoulders and scream “Wake up! Can’t you see you are such a fortunate woman to be loved so wonderfully by a good and loyal husband!” Of course I could not do that in the same way that I could not wipe the tears streaming down the face of Spanish actor Javier as he tugged at my heart, showing how much he loved his son who was about to leave Bali to go back to Australia to be with his mom. Richard showed us why he deserved to be an Oscar nominee in his opening-up-as-this-was-how-bad-I-was scene. Aptly, hilarious scenes like those when Julia was trying so hard to fit into sexy jeans after gaining several pounds from all the spaghetti and pizza, were inserted as a break from the heavier stuff and tear-jerking scenes.

Eat, Pray, Love, more than its powerful direction, great scriptwriting (that sometimes deviated from the book), splendid sceneries and excellent music, is a wonderful travelogue that will surely boost tourism in Italy, India and Indonesia. For me, it is that final push to accept the irresistible invitation to Bali. Now where is that travel brochure again?