Julia Roberts To Star In Eat, Pray, Love
I have heard nothing but AMAZING things about the memoir Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert. And now it's coming to the big screen, with none other than Julia Roberts as the lead!
"In her early thirities, Elizabeth Gilbert has everything a modern American woman was supposed to want -- husband, country home, successful career --but instead of feeling happy and fulfilled, she felt consumed by panic and confusion. This wise and rapturous book is the story of how she left behind all these outward marks of success, and of what she found in their place. Following a divorce and a crushing depression, Gilbert set out to examine three aspects of her nature, set against the backdrop of three different cultures: pleasure in Italy, devotion in India and on the Indonesian island of Bali, a balance between worldly enjoyment and devine transendence."
Since this book was a huge best seller, I'm guessing a lot of you have probably read it. If so, what do you think of Julia Roberts for the choice of the main character?
300 points
I will NOT go see this film if Julia Roberts stars in it. No point really in me SEEING the movie, as the book was wonderful. I just don't like Julia...AT ALL!
I'm reading it right now, and she seems like a good choice. She manages to be a huge star and yet have a very down-to-earth vibe, which is really important in making her believable as Elizabeth Gilbert.
310 points
I love love love this book. I wish, actually, that they wouldn't make it into a movie. Just let it be what it is! But, since they obviously aren't going to listen to me, I think it should star Kate Winslet! She is so lovely and likable, and can be sensual and funny all at once - everything Elizabeth Gilbert is in the book. Julia Roberts is okay, but I fear the movie will then be JULIA ROBERTS IN EAT PRAY LOVE instead of the story of Gilbert. Sigh.
4705 points
I didn't love the book - barely made it to Indonesia and had to force myself to keep picking it up. I can see Julia Roberts in the role, though. Maybe the movie will be more engaging. I know that many people loved it - but I've also talked to many people who had a difficult time getting into it as I did. Loved most of her stay in Italy, liked her stay in India for the most part ....
Hated this book. But I can see Julia Roberts playing a self absorbed, adult behaving like a spoiled child very easily. I like Julia, but she seems like she can pull of the pity the poor me, Elizabeth Gilbert, just fine. A movie I won't be seeing.
I guess I'll be the second to dissent -- I actually really hated this book. It started out okay, but by the middle and especially the Indonesia part, I started to just seriously hate it. Even though it's supposed to be about her striking out to find herself, all she really does is try on different cultures, come to some not so original conclusions, and circle right back to making everything about the men along the way. Super UGH. Maybe the movie will actually be better - I think I like JR better than the author herself.
I absolutely hated this book. It was a little interesting when she lived in Italy, but the rest of it was a complete waste of my time. Gilbert continually whines about how her life is so tough. It was disgusting.
I wish Julia Roberts wouldn't do the movie. She's so much better than that.
Hated the book - very boring. Can't imagine a movie being any better.
this book was god-awful. poorly written by a superficial author who bitches and complains about her life. *yawn*.
I don't like Julia Roberts --- she is annoying now. I wish she would just leave the industry all together.
Well time will tell just how good this will be. Never read the book so this is news to me. Looks like something I should look into.
Wow! Thought I was the only person on the planet who doesn't like Julia Roberts. I don't like her "acting", don't like her cutesie persona, and don't like her attitude (she seems very grouchy and unfriendly). Now excuse me, I have to go hide from the lightening strike surely coming my way.....
I thought I was the only one who hated this book. Every women I talked to loved it! I thought it was some women who made a lot of money and was able to travel without worrying about money so she could sort out her life.
I have nothing against JR, but I wouldn't go see the movie just because of the book alone.
On the contrary to what many have said, I truly enjoyed the book. The first time I read it was when the book first came out about 2 years ago, before it became the mega hit it is today and the second time was 3 months ago for my book club. Though I can understand where some of you are coming from (some of my friends could not get past Italy as well), I along with many others loved the book. For me personally it was a cathartic experience. Having been married 13 years and putting off starting a family for many of the same reasons as Gilbert, I found that I could really relate to a lot of what she was talking about. Actually, everyone who did relate was in a similar situation or experiencing the same trials. I guess it’s similar to people who tell me they understand how I feel about having lost my mother to cancer, unless you experience it first hand, you can’t truly relate. I don’t think Julia Roberts is a good choice for the role. Though I agree that she does that down to earth quality that makes Gilbert who she is, I think her superstar status will overshadow the character itself. Kate Winslet would have been a good choice, as would Kate Hudson I think.
4705 points
I began watching My Best Friend's Wedding last night (I was bored) and was immediately struck by how awful both JR and Cameron Diaz were in it. Cameron was trying to pull off being 20 on top of everything else!! Rupert Everett was the only redeeming thing about that film. Oh, and JR's hair was horrible like it was in Pretty Woman.
I never read the book but I heard about it on Oprah a while back. Oprah interviewed the author and I fell asleep half way through it. It was so dull and boring. I'm not surprise that they picked Julia Roberts as the lead... being friends with Oprah and the fact that Oprah knows the author very well....there's some kind of connection there.
I loved this book!! This story is for the woman who is still on a journey of self discovery and won't settle for just mediocre or what society says she should be happy with. So if you're life is pretty set (and you're happy with that) and you don't want to rock the boat you would definitely hate this book. Having said that, I'm not the biggest fan of Julia Roberts and can't really picture her in some of the situations Gilbert found herself in. I like the Kate Winslet suggestion. I just thank goodness it's not Renee Zellwegger (sp)!!!
310 points
a.r.b. - I completely agree re: Renee Z. That would have been a horrible choice!
I'm surprised to hear how many people hated this book, but I also read it when I was going through a very difficult time, and could relate to the things she was going through. Plus, I thought the book was pretty amusing in places. I never thought I was supposed to feel sorry for her. Hmmm.
4705 points
I am presently going through a divorce and am doing the whole "starting your life over" thing and did not relate to her at all or her experience at all. I found her to be condescending and self-involved. There were definitely some amusing parts and some touching moments, but over-all, I couldn't stand her voice.
Loved the book! I, too, put it down shortly into India (it was a major shift in gears from Italy) but once I was ready I THOROUGHLY enjoyed her time there. Indonesia was my least favorite section but I attributed that to the fact that she was emerging from her intense self-study and engaging others, and so the book was less...intimate. I enjoyed her most when she was introspective.
I read the book immediately after going through a divorce and connected with a lot of the author's "issues," but she also made me laugh. Her analogy of a divorce and "having a really bad car wreck every day for two years" was the best description I've heard. I'll enjoy Julia in the roll, because I think she has enough charm to make likable a normally unlikable person. Gilbert does this, too...she's undeniably neurotic, self-centered, whiny...but likable! I could also see Christina Applegate, Amy Smart, or Gwyneth Paltrow in this role.
Another thought: SJP?
I find it extremely FUNNY how people praise this book....the book was about one womans journey and how she coped w her experiences and her jouney and people are praisng it as if it were the HOLY GRAIL.... I tried to finish the read but it was borning to me....I'm sure i'll dust it off one day to complete it but for me it was all about another persons life experience and..... KUDOS to her...shame on Elizabeth Gilbert for selling the rights....but good on her for milking it for all it's worth.........next thing you know they'll be making a movie Based on the POWER OF NOW or A NEW EARTH by Eckhart Tollee, or even better YOU the Owner's Manual....gotta love Oprah ..... yah I won't be spending 12$ to see it, weather it's Julia Roberts or anyone else....
300 points
I too did not like the book and thought everyone else in the world loved it :-)
I enjoyed the intro and Italy but after that the characters seemed very contrived to me - the guy from Texas that called her groceries? That annoyed me to no end.
Having said that Julia Roberts will probably pull this role off - it is right up her "romantic comedy" alley. I'm sure the movie will up the Indonesian section to include a lot of the love/lust interest as a payoff to any man that is suckered into watching the movie.
300 points
I got through the first few chapters and it seems like an interesting story...
isn't julia a bit ~mature~ for that role?
I absolutely loved the book. It's one of those inspiring stories that makes you want to go out and discover who we really are, and she reassures us that there shouldn't be any fear in doing that because in the end everything works out exactly like it's supposed to. I don't think JR is a good choice either those, however I would love to see Charlize Theron play the role, I think she would be much better suited.
1375 points
I like Julia Roberts and I'm sure she will pull it off well!
I think you have to be interested in the spiritual journey aspect to get through the entire book. She was also incredibly depressed, so it helps if you've been through that so that you can put up with and understand her "whining". I personally was bored by the Italy part because it was all food, food, food, and nothing I didn't know already having lived in that region of the world. It's not a light, fun book. But even I was bored at the end during her final bit of dark introspection. When you'd thought she'd finally got past that she had to go and rehash something that had already happened. I listened to the audio book and I skipped that "track". Would have been an obvious point where an editor should have said, either put this earlier in the book or cut it out, or at least cut it to the most interesting bit, which would be about three lines instead of a whole other chapter.
EW. Julia Roberts will ruin the movie. She is a tribute to Hollywood and the eternal promotion of the talentless.
300 points
I loved the book, and while Julia Roberts is a likeable actress, this part seems off for her.....it just doesn't fit in with the tone of the book, or with Elizabeth Gilbert herself.
I dunno. I will probably watch it though.
I read "Eat, Pray, Love" several months ago, so forgive me if my memory of the book is not perfect. It was a good book, but not fantastic. The first and last "chapters" were great. The middle "chapter" was a bit preachy for me (for lack of a better word). Anyway, I think, based on my interpretation of the book, Julia Roberts is a HORRIBLE pick. I probably would have picked someone a bit more...experienced. Someone like Susan Sarandon or even Catherine Zeta-Jones (who, quite honestly, I'm not a huge fan of). I feel like Julia Roberts is too wholesome for a role based on this book, although I LOVE her as an actress.
This part is perfect for Julia Roberts. Only she can possibly do this role with a straight face. She has the same endless self-importance of the author. Of course, the best choice for this role would be Kathy Griffin. Or possibly Margaret Cho. That would make it worth seeing! They would play this for the joke it should be. Or, of course, you could cast Tyra Banks, who, while taking it seriously, would undoubtedly bring me to tears.
I've just started reading the book and, so far, I really like it. It will be really interesting to see how Ms. Gilbert handles the part where she goes to India and visits her guru. I am pretty sure I know exactly who the secret guru is (Siddha Yoga - Guru Mayi), as there were so many clues in the first few pages - "a few hundred people chanting Om Namah Shivaya on a Tuesday night" - in New York City, etc., etc. I used to be in that same organization and it just blared out at me. Interesting because SYDA Yoga, aka Siddha Yoga, likes to keep a real low profile and I can't wait to see how it is portrayed in the movie. The movie makers will have to be real, real careful how they disguise that particular organization, and make it very generic, or the movie company might have a big suit on its hands.
Anyway, the whole thing sounds very exciting and I can't wait to see the movie.
I loved the book it made me laugh out loud. Hate Julia can not see her in the role. I will not go to the movie.
i LOVE this book and wish they wouldn't ruin it by making it into a movie. UGH!
okay... never read the book! that being said i will be watching the movie... might even buy it! i am a true fan of Julia Roberts always have been... always will be! im more than sure the movie will be fine...! Im more than sure each and everyone of you all will go watch it or rent it when out!
Absolutely loved the book and love Julia Roberts so i will definately be seeing this movie! I can't wait! :) SO glad they picked Julia... I reckon she would be perfect for this role.
I loved the book and really enjoy Julia Roberts as an actress, but I am wondering if she can express the extroverted, self-revealing, hilarious yet thoughtful personality of the writer, Elizabeth Gilbert. Julia does sensitive and intense really well and sometime humorous too, but extroverted and self-exposing...I am not sure about that. But we will see. I will definitely be going to the movie.
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