Eat, Pray, Love (unconditionally)

It's uncommon for me to love a movie these days, but on the rare occasion that it happens, it usually goes something like this: the trailer or an interesting article about it appeals to me, I'll see the movie in the theater, and then, I love it - surprise! Bright Star is a good example. I even had a ticket for another movie in my hand when I stumbled into that one - so it was completely unexpected. Then, there is Eat, Pray, Love. In that case, the order is reversed and some items removed. I love it, no questions asked, even before I buy my ticket online or see the trailer. I see it, smile plastered on my face, and with teary eyes. The film ends, the lights go on, I drive home and feel - oh, I don't know - meh.

Why so quick to offer up your heart only to be let down? you might ask.

This unconditional love can be easily attributed to the following: my love and gratitude for Elizabeth Gilbert's book and my new-found appreciation of Julia Roberts. Also, I wasn't really let down nor did I "let go" as the marketing campaign asked me to. No matter how much I love it, I won't do so blindly - if that makes any sense. I only had hoped for more of a spiritual awakening in our leading lady. She has a guru, she unrolls a dusty yoga mat, she goes to an ashram, she sits in full lotus - but I didn't really see the transformation. To the credit of everyone involved, I can imagine it was quite a challenge to depict depression, acceptance, and healing on screen the way it's so eloquently arranged in words on the page. After much careful consideration (and numerous drafts of this blog), I realized something: there's no need and it is quite unrealistic for the movie to soothe me the way that the book did. Cinema. Literature. Different.

Don't get me wrong - I loved Eat, Pray, Love. I love J. Rob in her cozy-New Mexico-mama phase. I love the costumes, the locations, the music. More importantly, though, I love a Hollywood movie that shows a woman on a spiritual journey, rather than on a quest for a husband. In that way the movie is poignant, and better than most of the stuff out there. There will be a second viewing, probably a third and, hey, it was definitely worthy of a blog post (the stills from the film are beautiful and inspirational in their calm serenity). I just didn't think my post-movie blog-post would start with my bringing up Bright Star. I guess bright love just shines above the rest.