Eat, Pray, Love is a film with wonderful intentions but the execution of these is arguable. It's about a woman who leaves her respectable life to seek true fulfillment traveling the world. Liz, the protagonist played by Julia Roberts eats her way across Italy, explores spirituality in India, and falls in love in Indonesia. She learns about balance and self-love on this voyage. And while there are many things to commend the filmmakers and author for, there is an underlying sense of privilege that goes unnoticed in the movie.
At its core, the primary message of the story is about allowing oneself to see their value and live freely without remorse. More than anything, Liz demonstrates what it means to be human and relates her experience to a perspective that many know all too well: there's nothing we can do about our life circumstances. Liz refutes this and emphasizes that, as rulers of our own fate, we have the ability to choose how we want to live. The story starts with a middle-aged woman who is living in contently: Liz has no passion, no love for life, no happiness, despite having a loving a spouse, good friends, a successful career and consequently, plenty of money.
The story starts with a middle-aged woman who is living in contently: Liz has no passion, no love for life, no happiness, despite having a loving a spouse, good friends, a successful career and consequently, plenty of money. But when she embarks on her journey, she embodies the Italian phrase "Attraversiamo" that means "let us cross over." Liz implies that if we take that first step and believe in ourselves, we will eventually arrive at our life’s destination. It also demonstrates that we will never be alone, because we have everything and everyone we need within us, even if it isn't apparent. "Dolce fur niente" which translates to "the sweetness of nothing" similarly inspires viewers to change their perspectives on life. It is sometimes necessary to acknowledge that it is a gift to be blissfully unaware of nothing because nothing is, in reality, something.
Despite the important lessons this film imparts, there is one component that has both touched and tormented me. There is a particular scene that highlights the characters privilege. As Liz happily eats her delicious margarita pizza, her friend Sofi (Tuva Novotny) is unsettled. She can't eat the food without thinking about how the weight she’s gained has developed into a terrible "muffin top".
Liz gives a monologue filled with genuine annoyance that anyone can relate to saying that she's sick of saying no to wonderful food, counting her calories, and feeling bad about herself and her body. Liz then tells Sofi that instead, they'll finish their pizzas without guilt and go out to buy bigger new jeans tomorrow. On the surface, this appears to be an encouraging speech about women
breaking free from the chains of self-hatred by simply purchasing larger pants. However, something ominous lurks beneath the character's suggestion as buying new jeans isn't a possibility for everyone that has body image problems. Most people can’t afford to change their entire wardrobe every time they gain a few pounds.
As a result, I’d argue that Eat Pray Love isn't necessarily a story that can guide others in the right direction because in its simplest form, it's an escapist fantasy about a woman who had everything and then left it all behind in order to obtain more. However, in a narrower and less literal sense, the film can nonetheless encourage individuals to take control of their own narratives and lead the lives they want to.
Featuring images from Film Affinity and Eat Pray Love, the film
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