Before concluding her all-expense paid trip, Liz studies with the wise old man in Bali and finally understands how to love. From there, she travels to India and works on her spirituality ('Pray') alongside a scene-stealing Richard Jenkins as Richard from Texas. Taking the prophecy of a ninth-generation medicine man to heart, Liz plans to escape for a year and sets her sights on Italy where she learns to enjoy life ('Eat'). While in the middle of divorcing her husband (Billy Crudup), Liz jumps into a passionate affair with a younger man (James Franco) and discovers that such excitement does little to make herself feel better.

But I find it to the point and my primary reason for enjoying the movie - a material life is an empty life. Herein lies what some might see as the drawback - a well-off person whines about their life. No, the focus is on a successful writer suddenly reaching a midlife crisis and deciding to abandon her bourgeois existence in order to find balance. The movie makes very light issue of this fact, mentioning it merely in passing - a quick exchange between Liz (Roberts) and her agent/best friend (Viola Davis). Of course, many don't have the luxury of signing a book deal beforehand, complete with a hefty advance, in order to bring this desire to fulfillment. The one thing the movie has going for it is that it features a story many can easily relate to, a desire for a happier and more meaningful life. However, with a pretty woman in the lead and beautiful cinematography of exotic locales, the movie actually works as a straightforward romantic drama - of the pop lit variety and little else. Many of the same criticisms were made of the book as well, and this adaptation, co-written by Murphy, can't seem to resolve them. While fans will be pleased to know this, issues arise when certain situations and scenarios feel far-too convenient and well. Based on the widely popular, bestselling memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert, 'Eat Pray Love' stays mostly true to the core themes explored in its source. Julia Roberts packs her bags and travels across the European and Asian continents in Ryan Murphy's ('Running with Scissors') latest production on self-discovery.

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