If you didn’t see this movie and are planning to, you might not want to read this. But if you read the book and saw the movie, tell me -- did she really spend a year looking inward, becoming a strong, independent woman ready to love herself and eventually another, only to be told she should toss off her balance and follow a man's path? Really? Don't get me wrong, if I were newly single I might follow Javier around for a week or two as well. But after that...
Why would a woman leave a husband who adores her, go on a quest to find herself, gain x pounds in a glorious orgy of non-male referenced eating, find her soulful, spiritual center through prayer, meditation and work, and then, after all of that, toss this hard-earned balance away to follow a guy's idea of how life should be? We're told this is "for love." Love wouldn’t ask her to throw off her balance. Love would offer greater balance. Greater peace and harmony. Love would meet her in the center, in whatever way that meant to her. And also, why are so many people in this movie telling her she needs a man? You know what? As much as I dearly love my husband (and I know you read this darling) we women love men but we don't "need" them. There's a huge difference.
One final thing. I really dislike movies and commercials that impose their values about how life should be. Too often they are preachy pulpits for filmmakers to tell us how they think our lives need to be conducted. I can figure that out for myself.
8 comments:
Well, she did present the idea to a publisher and get the MONEY to then take the year off and indulge herself and write the book.
I started the book and put it down and left it for another. I think I'll probably pass on the movie too. :)Bea
Amen, Teri. and Bea, too! I know some people really liked this book (and do/will probably like the movie as well)....but I thought it was completely over-rated...
...and yes, I think it was a story whose main purpose was to make money (rather ironic).
I saw her interviewed on Oprah shortly after the book was published...blech. It bothers me when someone is lauded for "finding themselves" when they've left heartache in their wake doing so (never did understand what was so dag-gum awful about her marriage...still don't). She came off as a very self-indulgent, self-centered person to me....but maybe that's why she's been so popular of late....that seems to be the American Way....self-centered, but "spun" in such a way that its made to seem heroic.
no thanks.
I really enjoyed this book... and at the end, I understood her dilemma. She worked really hard to get into a good place for herself, and then had to decide whether or not risk it by dating again. I think I just felt for her there, because I went through that several years ago, after ending a 5-year long relationship. Independence is great, but it doesn't stop a longing for a relationship.
Also - just because a marriage isn't bad doesn't mean it's good. It doesn't have to be terrible for you to want better for yourself! Her husband might have been a great guy (though he seemed like a jerk while they were divorcing), but he just wasn't the guy for her - unfortunately, a lot of people don't realize the mistake they've made until it's too late. She wasn't happy with the life her and her husband had; why should we be criticizing her for leaving if she wasn't happy?
Don't get me wrong, there were a few parts of the book I didn't like. But people give this author a really hard time, and I don't get why. Of course the book came off as "self-centered", it's a memoir! It's SUPPOSED to be all about her. And we all have been through break-ups where we decide "I just need to focus on me.". Is it really so wrong that she was able to take a year off from life to do it? I think we'd all do it if we had the money.
Anyways, that's my little rant... don't know if I'll see the movie though, because I can't picture Julia Roberts doing a good job.
Sarah, thanks for your comment. I love discussion of all kind. it wasn't that she left her husband that bothered me. It was that, after she did (and it was tough for them both) and went through an entire year to find her "center," (no complaints here either - smart to do it and get paid for it) that she then threw this balance off to follow a man. THAT'S the part that is troublesome to me and, I think, sends a poor message to women. I would have liked the movie to have ended after the eat and pray part, or perhaps when she says goodbye to the palm reader fellow. The rest just made me squirm.
Hi Teri - did you read the book? I have read it and liked it, and in the book it was not about running off after a guy but about learning to share her new-found self in a healthy way in a relationship. Deciding if she wanted to open her heart again. I won't see the movie, because I don't see how they can possibly translate the book into a 90 minute feel-good Julia Roberts movie well. Sounds like they didn't.
I THOUGHT the book ended different than the movie, but I wasn't sure. The movie was completely different in the ending. I liked the book, too. I liked the part about her learning to meditate, because I meditate too. And I liked the parts about her Italian voyages (of course!). I would imagine Liz isn't loving how her book was changed for the screenplay. However, the money she's getting--I'll be she's liking that...
I found the book and the movie to be somewhat lame. Having been married a few times and now single. I can tell you a man will not make you happy. Happiness has to be found within yourself. Sharing this with someone else - a man - is great.
I am puzzled by this idea of finding yourself through the wants and needs of a man.
I think we all dream of taking time out from the everyday routine of our lives to go travel an experience new things. However not at the expense of hurting other people. Someone said they found her to be self indulgent. I think that describes this whole situation.
I did like and agree with your review. This could have been oh so much better. Just another "cinderella" theme.
When did she follow a man? I didn't come away with that feeling... from the book or the movie....
And in Bali they kept telling her to find a man because that's part of their culture... I remember them explaining that in the book... about how the Balinese people think everyone should be married or something like that.
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