TMG Scale 2.0
Starring Julia Roberts,  Richard Jenkins (you will recognize this long time character actor)

Eat, Pray, Love. I would rather see a film entitled “Lather, Rinse, Repeat” than ever sit through this film again.  How about Work, Give, Contribute instead? Rare does one get exposed to a more selfish, self-absorbed, narcissistic group of unsympathetic characters in one setting.  The last time I saw this many people in one film that I had no feeling or respect for was Vertical Limit (2000).  This 8 hour long film…er uhh I guess it was only 2 hours 13 minutes but that was at least 2 hours 11 minutes too long.   This movie should have been entitled “It’s All About Me.”

Julia Roberts as Liz Gilbert, leaves a happy and successful life with a loving husband,  and a very nice guy, to run off to fantasy land.  Along the way she finds a Guru, a drunk and hopeless and clueless romantic loser named Javier. TMG admits some of the scenery and restaurants look awesome, romantic and relaxing and reflective of simplicity and peace.  Here is the problem.  No one in this film works or produces anything but a few waiters and street vendors.  This film is a tribute to why so many European countries are bankrupt and drowning in romantic socialism. Vacations are a great way to rewind and recharge. But escaping reality and dumping on others is just irresponsible and mean.  Who is going to produce the wine everyone in this film slobbers over? Who drills for the oil to fuel all the jets and cars these folks require but were overly downplayed in this film? Who builds the churches and quaint streets these characters relish?

TMG admittedly has a disdain for clueless romantics like the scumbag character Julia Roberts ends up with in this film. TMG once lost a girlfriend to a similar jerk named Javier who preyed on young lost women with flowers, jets and romance just for a few days of fun before dumping them. Great guys. In two weeks, they are off to their next fling.

This film is based upon the real life memoirs of Elizabeth Gilbert  and a successful book of the same name. I would just like to ask Elizabeth Gilbert. “After running away from reality, are you really happier now?”  You at least worked and wrote a successful book to fund your exploits. Who is going to fund the people that follow your pitiful example? You may have only exploited millions of hapless romantics that can afford your book, but not the wine, great dining, or let alone, a trek to Bali and across Italy. Don’t get me wrong, Julia Roberts is a great actress. But Liz Gilbert is no Erin Brokovich.