Student Film Reviews

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1. Melanie Kirk 09.03.10 / 2pm

   Eat, Pray, Love. I really enjoyed reading this book and i thought the movie was a good miniature reflection of the novel. Along with any novel that was made into a film there is never going to be that exact reflection of what happened in the novel, so i must say there is a significant amount of information missing. Julia Roberts was a good match for Liz Gilbert in my opinion. I thought i was interesting how the movie played out with the certain amount of time Liz Gilbert spent in Italy, India, and Bali. One thing that i wished the film would have shown was what happened after Liz Gilbert and Felipe decided to stay together in love. Even though it is a movie and it was a good ending and conclusion to the story told in the movie i do wish the director added in what happened after. Very touching story, must go see this film!
2. Aubree Weyrick 09.20.10 / 10am

   I watched Eat Pray Love about a month ago in theaters. I thought it was witty, cute, and contained a lot of little, insightful morals. However, it was way too long and therefor lost my attention three-quarters of the way through. It wasn’t enough action to fill that 2.5 hours and the empty scenes bored me. As I have heard, the book contains a lot more information, and if they would have incorporated this into the film or shed a little time, the movie would have been much richer. (by rich I mean like chocolate cake, not $$) But yes, the movie does make one think about their own life and this I loved. I realized as I was watching, I would take the lessons Liz learns along the way and relate them to myself. In this way it is an eye-opening film.
3. Stephanie Wehe 10.04.10 / 4pm

   This film did an excellent job of displaying the key emotional moments of the book “eat, pray, love”. I cannot help but wish they captured more of the spiritual essence in the film as it was in the book, however I understand that to reach a broader audience some omission was wise. I agree that Julia Roberts failed to capture the essence of Gilbert so vividly depicted in the book. Gilbert is presented as a vibrant, curious and excitable person and I feel that Roberts portrayal of Gilbert was much more flat. This aside, I am glad that part of the books message will be able to reach a broader audience due to it’s release as a film .
4. Andrea Iglesias 10.05.10 / 1pm

   When I saw eat pray and love my initial reaction was that the movie was cute humorous and a typical chick flick. I enjoyed the movie, and I thought that Julia Roberts played the character very well because she is such a likeable women and actress. I have not read the book, but I did hear that like always, the book is more enjoyable then the movie. I really enjoyed being able to see her three different trips to Italy, India, and Bali. All of the food, clothing, and colors so easily captured my attention and gave a great insight to each country. I did think that the movie dragged on a little too long for a typical love story and could have possibility been cut down by a few scenes. With that being said, the film did an amazing job in making my mouth water at all the delicious meals she ate, and capturing all of my emotions.
5. Alexandria Xiques 10.06.10 / 3pm

   I absolutely loved the book Eat, Pray, Love. I read it in Mexico in three days. When I found out that it was going to be a movie with Julia Roberts, I got really excited. She is an amazing actress and I think she is perfect for the role of Liz. Once I was watching it, I notices little things being left out but it was still very cute and fun. There were a lot of little morals and lessons being conveyed to the audience throughout the film and it was fun to watch. After a while though, the film began to feel way too long and started to lose my attention. The film did capture a lot of the essence of the novel which I really love but it could have been made just a little bit shorter so that the audience could really enjoy it and not lose interest. Other than that, I feel like Eat, Pray, Love was a very good film and many of the scenes were beautiful. It made me want to go to Italy. Overall, the film was enjoyable and very cute.
6. Jennifer Lincoln 10.11.10 / 9am

   Eat Pray Love is one of my all time favorite books. I was so excited to find out that it was going to be made into a motion picture and have one of my favorite actresses, Julia Roberts, play Liz the main character. I really enjoyed the movie overall, but it did lack alot of the great parts in the book. There were a few characters that they left out but other than that it was a very cute movie. Each different segment of the movie gave me a great insight to the country they were in. The details of what she ate, how she prayed in India, and the beauty of Bali amazed me. It made me want to just get out of my chair in the theater and fly around the world. I definitely recommend you go out and see this movie!
7. Marissa Aldana 10.14.10 / 4pm

   Days before viewing Eat, Pray, and Love, I quickly read the book, and found it pretty good. I then saw the movie, and just fell in love with Italy more. They did an excellent job recreating the Italy scenes from the book, including the role of friends, family, and of course the food. Like in the book, she is starting her process of getting her passion for life again, and it doesn’t get better by first going to Rome. Watching the rest of the movie though, from India to Bali, I found it to be slow at times, and I too found that some scenes could have been edited out. I find Julia Roberts as a superb actress, but I just didn’t see her connect to Liz Gilbert at times, which was a little disappointment. But, the cinematography throughout was just beautiful, especially in Bali. The wisdom and messages were clear though, so that was interesting to hear.
8. Amelia Neverman 10.14.10 / 10pm

   Eat Pray Love was a wonderful rendition of the book by Elizabeth Gilbert. By first reading the book I was able to imagine my own movie in my head and while watching Eat Pray Love in theaters it really hit my same ideas dead on. The characters all truly emobodied the characters in the story and seeing them act the story out was truly remarkable. I went in with no expectations, because I had enjoyed the book and felt nothing would ruin it, but the film proved to exceed any expectation that I had and gave me a wonderful escape into the life of Liz. I felt strangely connected to how she was feeling and made me think about how I live my life. A very heartwarming film I recommend anyone looking for a fun film to go see it!
9. Lillian Wright 10.14.10 / 11pm

   I was really excited for this movie to come out, the trailer made it look like an amazing adventure I couldn’t wait to go on. Sadly, once the lights lifted and I brushed the popcorn off my lap, I was all too happy it was finally over. Just when you thought it might finally be over, it just kept going, and not in a good direction. Although I didn’t like the movie for various reasons (slow pace, classically sad woman in search of herself, desperate and far reaching acting…) I didn’t really like the book either. I guess this one was just not for me. There was one thing that made this movie bearable though, the scenery and setting in every shot was just beautiful, its all about location!
10. Morgan Layne 10.14.10 / 11pm

    I remember last Christmas my brother gave my mom the book Eat Pray Love and my mom’s initial reaction was, “And then what?” I was surprised to hear it was being made into a movie and that one of my favorite actresses, Julia Roberts, was starring; I had to see it. I was pleased with the plot of this film especially since it was a woman breaking out of her cage and going on adventures. I immediately fell in love with the scenery of the film; I have not been outside of the U.S. yet. This film has encouraged me to not settle for what is easy and to try new and different things. Now my mother and I understand the true meaning of the title of the book and movie Eat Pray Love.
11. Emily Whitaker 10.15.10 / 11am

    Eat, Pray, Love was a heartfelt film about a woman who tries to find herself by traveling the world. The people she meets along the way and help her continue her travels all play an important role in her life. It is a very cute film and the ways that she freely and carelessly explores foreign countries brings joy to the viewer. Her risk taking in the movie and love story along with it adds twists and turns that you would never expect. The landscapes and scenery were amazing and the way the film was shot gives you a great look at her surroundings. This movie made me want to go out and explore and take chances for the idea of finding something better than before. Great film!!!
12. Bianca Padilla 10.15.10 / 11pm

    Julia Roberts has always been one, if not my favorite actress ever since I first saw her in Pretty Woman. She carries gumption and beauty in all her roles and has never let herself get to caught up with the vanity and craziness that the Hollywood lifestyle entails. For this reason I was thrilled when I first saw the previews for Eat. Pray. Love. The cast looked top-notch and the story-line looked like the perfect chick flick with just the right amount of woman empowerment. But I would have to agree with this review when it says that this movie seemed washed out and that the protagonist Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) seemed still dependent upon males at the end of the film. I felt as if there was no resolution in the end and that Liz just ended up doing what she always had done before, allowed her mood and happiness to rely on the opposite sex. This movie was nothing how I expected it to be and I was disappointed with the direction this film went. Instead of an empowering film displaying a strong independent woman, it rather depressed me and left me reeling at the fact that this film resembled more of a pity-party. I also found that the relationship between Liz and Felipe (Javier Bardem) seemed awkward and forced, with Felipe coming off a tad bit creepy. Overall I was disappointed by this film and would and feel that the previews misrepresented it.
13. Holly Garcin 10.19.10 / 12pm

    Eat, Pray, Love is the type of film that leaves me enlightened and inspired. I absolutely love Julia Roberts in any film she performs in, but she did exceptional in her role as Liz. The beautiful scenery captivated me as a viewer and drew me closer to the plot. Even though the duration was lengthy I did not mind. Eat, Pray, Love is motivation to my own life and I think many women can relate. Having to be a certain size or a certain role can become cumbersome and draining of your self-worth. Eat, Pray, Love awakens the senses and breaths a fresh perspective on how to enjoy life!
14. Kayla Odegard 11.09.10 / 12am

    Eat. Pray. Love. became on of my favorite movies once I saw it in theaters. I had read the book prior to viewing the film and I was pleasantly surprised on how accurate the film coincides with the events that took place within the novel. Julia Roberts depicted the perfect Liz Gilbert and was just how I imagined her to be while I was reading. The movie is inspiring, uplifting, humorous and a great chick flick to add to anybodies film collection. I would have loved if the film gave the audience a glimps into Liz and Felipes life after they decided to stay in love, but that is my only critic. the balance of the emotions that played through this movie was gripping. Going from being lost to finding yourself on an amazing journey makes me want to pack up and explore the world just as Liz\Julia did. Loved this movie and would recommend it to everyone!
15. Paula Gomez 11.15.10 / 12am

    hehehe I now understand why I didn’t like it that much when I went to see it at the theater. It’s Julia’s fault haha. I haven’t read the book but I was expecting a more adventurous main character. someone with ardor with a flame of passion that maybe had been burned down by the divorce and the breakup but that someone could be relit by the “life” that she starts to set up for herself through her journeys to Italy and India etc. etc. I wanted to see life, by also seeing the contrast of death or lack of life, but I never got to see the life in this movie, it was just all death and blah. hehehe
16. Jessica Kenney 11.19.10 / 10pm

    I completely agree with Kathleen, Julia Roberts doesn’t hit the nail on the head with this one. Yes, it appeals to women who wish they could pack up their life and set out on a whirlwind tour filled with food and sexy men, but Julia plays the character of Liz as a broken woman who is not and will never be independent. She loses all of the humor that the book contains and makes the audience member feel like you need a man to be happy rather than a freeing experience. While Julia’s acting is not up to par, her male counterparts bring their A-game. From her adorable friend Ketut in Bali, to her grouchy yet inspirational friend Richard, the men provide excellent and moving performances, sometimes causing laughter and at other moments causing tears. I guess this is a reflection of Liz’s inability to be the rock in her relationships, allowing the men to step into the leading role. Besides the mouthwatering men, the movie also provides us with shots of delectable meals and gorgeous scenery. Overall the film is a good chick flick to see on a girls night out after a day at the beach.
17. Vanessa Pla 11.19.10 / 11pm

    When a book is turned into a movie, it is always impossible to capture everything. I think that the movie was a great presentation of the novel. The characters were somewhat accurate, depending on personal interpretation and most of story line is parallel to the book.
    However, I did feel as if the movie lacked the spiritual theme. I thought this was the most powerful aspect of the book and I was expecting beautiful sunsets in India, but instead they showed a more “dirtier India than I had pictured”. I didn’t think Julia Roberts accurately captured the power of meditation.
    I loved the shots of Bali used for the movie.The rice fields were perfectly captured. I also loved Javier Bardem as Felipe. Although he is Spanish not Brazilian in rea life, I enjoyed seeing him as the man who swooped LIz off her feet.
    Overall I don’t really have much of a strong opinion of this movie. If one wishes to read the book, I strongly suggest that over the movie. It is a quick read and you can get more out of it.
18. Rachel Perlin 11.20.10 / 12am

    I really enjoyed this movie. It took me on a beautiful journey through the eyes of a woman desperately trying to find herself. The scenery was breathtaking and the acting was wonderful. The script could have been better written but the film was a perfect feel good movie. It captured the essence of an escapisim film. The only thing that bothered me was I felt like Julia Roberts character was too self-indulgent which got a little annoying. Overall the film was beautiful.
19. Christina Miramontes 04.18.11 / 6pm

    As someone stated previously, it is very difficult for a movie director to successfully transfer the material from a book to film. Eat Pray Love was definitely not one of my favorite movies, nor a movie that I would recommend to anyone. Just like the book, as I have tried to read it before, it is so hard to become interested and involved in the story. There is hardly any plot or rising action, climax, etc. All the movie is doing is following Liz as she goes through these adventures. However, there is nothing extremely unique and attention-grabbing about this movie besides the fact that it stars Julia Roberts, James Franco, and Javier Bardem.
20. Jasmine Mehdizadeh 10.11.11 / 10pm

    As a member of Siddha Yoga and a long time fan of Julia Roberts, I was very excited to see what direction this film would take. As anxious as I was to watch this film. I never had time to watch it on the big screen, but I must admit, I had more fun watching this film cuddled up in bed with snacks and my best friend. Knowing that Siddha yoga is very unpopular, I thought it was fun to be able to chant along to the film. On the other hand, I will admit that I enjoyed the book and my own personal experience with Siddha yoga much more then I enjoyed the film. I think that Julia could have been more convincing when it came to portraying the true feelings of euphoria that one gains from self realization and that the director could have made certain aspects of the film more intersting to follow.
21. Carina Sarbeck 04.02.12 / 5pm

    Eat, Pray, Love was an inspiring and cheerful film for the most part. I also did not read the book prior to watching the film but I thought it was very well written and Julia Roberts had an exceptional performance, as always. The title of the film really foreshadows the main themes of the film and tells a hopeful story that women, especially, can relate to. Julia Robert’s character, Liz, goes through what you could call a “mid-life crisis” and goes out into the world to discover different adventures which brings her to the realization of who she is as a person with the help of certain characters in the film and the different cultures she choses to visit. Eat, Pray, Love is an uplifting film and is the type of movie i’d love to watch when I’m feeling down or am in need of a “chick flick” !
22. draz 09.23.14 / 2pm

    I absolutely love this movie! It takes you along on a soul-searching adventure that a woman has after a “series of unfortunate events.” The film illustrated the personal growth and power that can be found in rebuilding from the ground up. Julia Robert’s character was forced to re-evaluate everything she believed and allow uncertainty/ change to wash over her. She let her defenses down, let go of her ego, and approach the world with open arms. She was able to break apart and reconstruct her core values during this time of personal transformation. One of my favorite quotes is from this book/ film. It goes, ” If you’re brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting, which can be anything from your house to bitter, old resentments, and set out on a truth-seeking journey, either externally or internally, and if you are truly willing to regard everything that happens to you on that journey as a clue and if you accept everyone you meet along the way as a teacher and if you are prepared, most of all, to face and forgive some very difficult realities about yourself, then the truth will not be withheld from you.” This quote is so powerful! Everything about it is so beautiful to me. I can personally relate to Julia Robert’s character is this film since I myself travel with the purpose of having soul searching experiences. As a food lover, yogi, and traveler, I got lost in this inspirational film. It is one of my favorite movies. This had a great plot line, great acting, and most of all- great message!
23. Christine Le 12.14.21 / 9am

    I remember wanting to watch this movie for the longest time and feeling quite disappointed after seeing it. It’s as you said Robert’s depiction of Gilbert makes her seemingly weak and fragile and appearing as if she’s always dependent on a man to maintain her own happiness (a too common theme in many of society’s movies these days) making this another forgettable female inner-discovery film flick. Although I initially loved and related to the concept of a strong, independent woman leaving her old self behind to travel around the world to rediscover and recreate herself. Sadly, as sweet as Roberts is in her depiction of Gilbert, she fails to connect and empower her character as she’s so impressively done before in prior films such as “Pretty Woman” or “Erin Brochovich” and even the same goes with Bardem and his depiction of Fellipe. Both actors have proven themselves in Hollywood for their talent and acting range and yet this film fails to exemplify both. Hollywood films seem to over reinforce many of the widely held societal views and expectations for women more than ever: that we are docile caretakers and always taking care of the needs of a man, that even if we’re strong and independent that we’ll always need to be in a relationship to feel secure and happy, and so on. Why must the female narrative always start and end with a man? Why must society and cinema continue to invalidate and reinforce negative stereotypes of single women? Why must women need to belong to a man before they can belong to themselves? As one of my favorite poets, Rudy Francisco said in one of his poems, “Aren’t we all unfinished? Don’t we all need editing?” However, as women, can we rewrite ourselves for a change instead of always giving the pen away to the next man that walks into our life? My hopes for Roberts in this film reflected her unexpected success from her prior movie “My Best Friend’s Wedding” in which the unconventional ending spoke a large degree to audiences about the core values and beliefs to Robert’s character, Julianne: She can belong to herself for awhile and not need to constantly find a man to complete her. She can edit and finish herself. She can write her own happy ending.

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