Eat Pray Love

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Entertainment: +2 1/2

Content: -2

Main actors: Julia Roberts, Javier Barden, Billy Crudup, James Franco, Richard Jenkins. Directed by: Ryan Murphy. Screenplay by: Ryan Murphy and Jennifer Sall, based on a memoir by Liz Gilbert

FILM SYNOPSIS: Writer Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) embarks on a journey to search for meaning in her life after she divorces her husband Stephen (Billy Crudup). From Bali, where she has an audience with a wise guru, to a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner in Italy, to learning meditation in an ashram in India and back to Bali, Liz documents lessons learned, friends made and a spiritual awakening. Appearing in every scene, the lovely Julia Roberts and beautiful scenery help move the 2 ½ hour movie along to its predictable ending. Be aware there’s lots of dialogue and very little action.

PREVIEW REVIEW: Liz has many doubts about why she suddenly divorced her perfectly nice husband and is at a loss about how to redirect her life. She prays to God to guide her for the first time in her life, admitting she has never been to church. Then Liz begins a passionate love affair with David (James Franco), a young actor, and breaks his heart when she begins her journey around the world. Her charm wins over new friends in Italy where she learns that preparing and sharing meals with friends is an act of love. At the ashram in India Liz throws herself into Hindu rituals of meditating, chanting and humbling herself by scrubbing floors.

Much soul searching and figuring out where she belongs becomes a bit monotonous. It’s difficult for this reviewer to understand why the real Liz would want to share her mistakes and weaknesses with the whole world. It comes across as self-absorbed. On the other hand, she does open herself to other cultures and learns that to eat, pray and love creates balance in our lives. The writer’s definition of love, however, seems to include sex no matter what your marital status is. Impressionable teenagers don’t need that kind of encouragement.

Disappointing for a PG-13 rating, Eat Pray Love includes many obscenities and a few strong profanities. Liz’s two affairs include some implied sex. A young man trying to get her attention appears nude on a public street with brief rear male nudity shown.

Preview Reviewer: Mary Draughon
Distributor:
Columbia Pictures

Summary
The following categories contain objective listings of film content which contribute to the subjective numeric Content ratings posted to the left and on the Home page.

Crude Language: Few times - hell, ass

Obscene Language: s-word 4, f-word 1, obscene gesture 1

Profanity: J 1, G-d 1

Violence: None

Sex: Divorced woman has affairs with 2 men, sex implied

Nudity: Brief rear male nudity

Sexual Dialogue/Gesture: None

Drugs: Some social drinking

Other: Woman searching for God; prays for first time; embraces Hindu practices

Running Time: 133 minutes
Intended Audience: Adults


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