We predict that Julia Roberts’ new film Eat, Pray, Love will do for needy but smart women what Erin Brockovich did for trampy but smart women back in 2000. Provide a little validation. An adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert’s best-selling memoir
(which half of the women we know loved and the other half found offensive cultural tourism), the film follows a recently divorced writer who realizes that she’s spent her whole life defining herself through her relationships with men (spotted here: Billy Crudup as the ex husband and James Franco as the new boy toy). So she goes on this worldwide journey (Italy – eat, India – pray, and Bali – love, courtesy of Javier Bardem) to find herself and write a book about it.
We think the trailer looks beautiful, but it’s hard to tell whether people who have nothing in common with Gilbert will be able to stomach the storyline. (An admission: We found the book entertaining. She’s a very readable writer.) Then again, it is Julia Roberts. She had us all at Mystic Pizza. What do you think?
Eat, Pray, Love lands in theaters August 13, 2010.