blackbird's two minute movie reviews

Surprise!
I've seen Eat Pray Love!
And here's a confession: I did not read the book. Here's a bigger confession: I'm not a reader.
It's true, I'm afraid. I think the internet killed books for me.
So, the thing is, I had no pre-conceived notions.
My goodness, Julia Roberts is a beautiful creature. I could look at her for hours. But, my heavens, the movies sounds just like a book...that can't be good.
But it looks so pretty I want to grow my hair (and that's saying something).
Julia gets a prophecy and goes away for a year.
Her whole life fits in a 12 square-foot box? Do you know what I'd give for that?
It's hard to believe her character is so very miserable, isn't it?
The decrepid apartment in Italy? Beautiful.
(I should mention that there was a roast in the oven and the kitchen fan was on and the scent of the wood-smoke in the fireplace all added to my loving what I was seeing.)
Julia makes love to spaghetti.
It's the Amalie of food!
Julia woos pizza. And teaches us about life. Buy bigger jeans.
Julia makes turkey for breakfast.
On to India!
Julia falls asleep and experiences "silence" and, is it me, or is Julia's time in India purposefully ironic?
Julia strings marigolds and attends a wedding and gives the bride peace and feels another's pain and it's slightly less trite as I have not read it!
Her Indian wardrobe is pretty too. Would we be wearing things from JCrew in India? Note to me: get those prayer beads restrung.
In Bali, Julia rides her wonderful bicycle right into Javier in his lovely Land Rover.
And then she runs into him in a bar on the beach.
And Julia is afraid to love Javier but realizes she must and finds the Truth, which cinematically, involves a boat and sunset and Bali.
And it's not so bad,
I suppose,
if you haven't read the book.

Comments

RW said…
you are a funny one.
my daughter watched it. I have not yet. I did watch Never let me go. Which is brilliant.
The Coffee Lady said…
Read books.

But obviously not that one.
Paola said…
And there you have it.
Anonymous said…
I'll pass on both the movie and the book, thanks. And I AM a reader.
Terese said…
I read the book several times. Then I saw the movie. ouch. Richard her friend in India looked nothing like I'd imagined him. Javier as Felipe the lover however makes up for all of the missing details. I noticed that Brad Pitt was one of the producers. Luckily I am a Julia Roberts fan.
Anonymous said…
Haven't read the book either, and now I think I might like the movie for all of the same reasons you just wrote!
Crayon said…
Must agree with Coffee Lady. And this movie is a 'love it/hate it' one, I think. Tried to watch it but kept wandering off to do more interesting things, like washing my face, etc. How appropriate-my word verification is 'prapo' which is kind of how I'd describe the movie.
Anonymous said…
The writing style in the book is actually quite lame. The author has a very breezy, best-friend-y confidence-sharing style that gets annoying. But I guess I could make myself sit through the movie, to enjoy the locales, at the very least.

jbhat
Miz S said…
I'm kind of "meh" about seeing the movie AND reading the book. So many things ahead of it on my list. Like True Grit and The King's Speech.
Melanie said…
I read the book. Very tiresome. All about "ME ME ME ME ME ME ME!" and it sounds like the movie doesn't up the realism quotient. I think I'd enjoy it for the pretty scenery (including the actors), but the actual plot and dialog would kill it. Kind of like the Under the Tuscan Sun book/movie experience!
Rae said…
Urgh. Got out of the book way before India. But I do love Julia Roberts... Love just to look at her! But I think the India bit (if it's like what I think it will be like) would just kill me. And I don't want to be dead, so maybe I shouldn't watch.