She meets a man played by James Franco, about whom, enough said. At one trattoria she apparently orders the entire menu, and I am not making this up. In Italy, she eats such Pavarottian plates of pasta that I hope one of the things she prayed for in India was deliverance from the sin of gluttony. Her first marriage apparently broke down primarily because she tired of it, although Roberts at (a sexy and attractive) 43 makes an actor's brave stab at explaining they were 'young and immature.' She walks out on the guy ( Billy Crudup) and he still likes her and reads her on the Web. It's all about her, and a lot of readers can really identify with that. Well, the publisher obviously made a wise investment. She funds her entire trip, including scenic accommodations, ashram, medicine man, guru, spa fees and wardrobe, on her advance to write this book. About her quest, her ambition, her good luck in finding only nice men, including the ones she dumps. I guess you have to belong to the narcissistic subculture of Woo-Woo. A lot more fun than spending nearly two hours watching a movie about it. You can see how it would be fun to spend a year traveling with Gilbert. I gather Gilbert's 'prose is fueled by a mix of intelligence, wit and colloquial exuberance that is close to irresistible' (New York Times Book Review), and if intelligence, wit and exuberance are what you're looking for, Julia Roberts is an excellent choice as the movie's star.

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert