Eat, Pray, Love Review

Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir of a woman who leaves her unsatisfactory marriage to start a spiritual, literal journey of man-free self-discovery left readers feeling empowered. But condensed into movie form and starring Julia Roberts, the message has been somewhat diluted to bumper-sticker ideology. In Italy she learns the sweetness of doing nothing, in India the humility of scrubbing floors and in Bali the importance of balance. All sound counsel, but by the time she meets Felipe (Javier Bardem), she apparently needs a man to make her happy after all, presumably not the book’s intended message. EPL is a beautiful travelogue and, for some, may be life-changing. For the rest? Watch Enjoy Leave.