• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Film/TV/Stream
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Tech/Science
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox

Movies: Eat, Pray, Love Your Seven Ex-Boyfriends

Nathaniel Rogers August 15, 2010

Julia_pizza (Left: Julia Roberts as Liz Gilbert "I'm having a relationship with my pizza")

There's a sense while watching Eat Pray Love that it hasn't quite worked out how to be a movie. The excessive narration suggests that it's an audio book with slide show and this crutch is unnecessary. Prolific gay creative force Ryan Murphy (Glee, Nip/Tuck) is more sure-handed behind the camera than he was on his first feature (Running With Scissors) and the beauty of the images (courtesy of renowned cinematographer Robert Richardson) combined with the emotional accessibility of Julia Roberts are better Baedekers while traveling. Though it's repetitive and maybe a little pandering to its mature female demographic (Food porn? Check. Several hot men? You got it. Reassuring messages about fulfillment later in life? Si.) it definitely has its moments. It's essentially told in four acts: New York, Rome, India, Bali. India gets a little draggy but "Pray" isn't the best cinematic verb. Rome ("Eat") is the most enjoyable. Julia seems to truly relish emptying her plate and there's a great bit where she teaches hunky Italian actor Luca Argentero that the American word for wine is "therapist". Ha ha.

Scottpilgrim_sword (Left: Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim. He's finally got [The Sword of] Self Respect.)

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World clings to its original source medium just as tightly as the Julia Roberts movie but the effect is smoother. After all, comic books are cinematic by their very nature, being a series of narrative images. Scott Pilgrim is also steeped in video game culture but for once that works in a movie since it's not an uncomfortable graft that's only there to please intended demographics. Not that Scott Pilgrim isn't preaching hard to its young male choir (Beautiful dream girls? Check. Nerdy guys winning them? duh! Reassuring messages about nerds being bad-asses when push comes to shove? Guess.) Scott's adventure to win Ramona is told in a series of seven setpieces (though it's not quite as simple as one battle per ex), the best of which are with two cocky lookers Brandon Routh (Superman Returns) as a vegan bassist and Chris Evans poking fun (at himself?) at the conceited action star type. The entire cast is really game for the stylized comedy including Anna Kendrick as Scott's bossy sister and Keiran Culkin as his gay roommate, who have quite a funny relationship. Michael Cera knows just how far to push both Scott's geek factor and his own star charisma and wins big laughs from things as simple as his drink choices (Coke Zero) and his line delivery whenever the word "lesbian" pops up. Which is often.

Eat Pray Love and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World are pitchedto entirely different audiences and their constituencies might well think that the other movie has nothing to say to them, but they'd be wrong. The message is the same, they're just speaking different languages. Scott Pilgrim is younger and more playful but has less heft (it's hard to raise the emotional stakes in a video game context) whereas Eat Pray Love is more literal-minded but has that 'last chance' true story pull. The takeaway is the same: To be your best self, you're going to have to be honest and forgiving; if you want true love, you're going to have to make peace with the past… or defeat it in battle. You vs. Your Personal Baggage. It's as if Hollywood is playing therapist and they've decided this is the message we all need to hear at summer's end.

Wine or Coke Zero? Your choice.

Julia_james_eat
James Prays. Julia Eats and Loves.

GuestbloggerNATHANIEL ROGERS
…prefers air conditioned movie theaters to hot beaches in the summertime. He blogs daily at the Film Experience.

**Editor's note: Our apologies — though we'll blame an attempt at summer hours — that this didn't get posted Friday. Enjoy.

Your Feature Presentations
For this weekend's moviegoing adventure, may I suggest a film about a whiny protagonist who dives too quick into romances, breaking innocent hearts? The movie is actually pretty good even though you'll want to slap some sense into the lead on occasion. If only our hero could find a little personal redemption and a way around the personal baggage that comes with multiple exes. What movie were we talking about again? Oh yes, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World ! Or was it Eat Pray Love?

Eat Pray Love is based on the best-selling memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert. "Liz" (Julia Roberts) is a beautiful writer in New York City. She's still hurting from a painful divorce from Stephen (Billy Crudup). She jumps into a new relationship with David (James Franco) who is too young for her. She's ambivalent and unhappy. She remembers an old prophecy from a healer in Bali and decides that returning there is the fresh start she needs. In order to find balance and inner peace, she'll have to forgive herself for that trail of exes and learn to trust in love again.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is based on a series of very funny comic books. "Scott Pilgrim" (Michael Cera) is a 22 year old bassist hipster in Toronto. He's still hurting from a painful breakup from Envy (Brie Larson). He jumps into a new relationship with Knives Chau (Ellen Wong) who is too young for him. He's ambivalent and unhappy. When he sees his dream girl (literally) Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), he wants to make a fresh start. In order to be with her, he'll have to forgive her that trail of seven evil exes and defeat them in battle

Scottpilgrim_vs_superman

MORE after the jump.

Topics: Drag, Film/TV/Stream, Travel More Posts About: Brandon Routh, Chris Evans, Film, Julia Roberts, Nathaniel Rogers, Ryan Murphy

Related Posts
  • LGBTQ Pro Wrestling Documentary ‘Out In The Ring’ Wins Best Canadian Feature at Inside Out Toronto Film Festival
  • Viola Davis was called by director’s maid’s name
  • The Week in Pictures: May 13 – May 20
  • Georgia grand jury in Trump election probe subpoenas Giuliani, Senator Graham

    Georgia grand jury in Trump election probe subpoenas Giuliani, Senator Graham

    Published by Reuters By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A special grand jury in Georgia probing former U.S. President Donald Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn his 2020 election defeat there issued subpoenas to Senator Lindsey Graham …Read More »
  • Bette Midler denies being ‘exclusionary or transphobic’ after backlash over ‘erasure of women’ tweet

    Bette Midler denies being ‘exclusionary or transphobic’ after backlash over ‘erasure of women’ tweet

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Bette Midler didn’t intend to be “exclusionary or transphobic” with her tweet about the “erasure” of women. The 76-year-old actress has responded after backlash over a tweet in which she said …Read More »
  • New documentary exploring Victoria’s Secret sex scandals to drop on Hulu

    New documentary exploring Victoria’s Secret sex scandals to drop on Hulu

    Published by BANG Showbiz English A new documentary about‘ Victoria’s Secret’ sex scandals will debut later this month. ‘Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons’ is set to follow the stream of sexual assault and harassment allegations following …Read More »
  • Russia: detained U.S. basketball player Griner may appeal, ask for clemency

    Russia: detained U.S. basketball player Griner may appeal, ask for clemency

    Published by Reuters (Reuters) – Russia’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday that detained U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner may appeal her sentence or apply for clemency once a verdict has been delivered. Russian foreign ministry spokesperson …Read More »
Previous Post: « News: Portland, Madonna, Target, Nevada, Taylor Lautner
Next Post: One Dead At Gay Pride Parade In Brazil »

Primary Sidebar

News

  • Margot Robbie & Ryan Gosling Skate Through A Day Of Filming ‘Barbie’ In Venice Beach: Photos

    Margot Robbie & Ryan Gosling Skate Through A Day Of Filming ‘Barbie’ In Venice Beach: Photos

  • Six killed in shooting during US July 4 parade

    Six killed in shooting during US July 4 parade

  • US drought exposes murky mob past of Las Vegas

    US drought exposes murky mob past of Las Vegas

RSS Partner Links

  • Morning Wood
  • Sinking Ship
  • 'Big Brother' 2022 Replaces a Contestant Less Than 24 Hours Before the Premiere - Meet the New Cast Member!
  • Snapped! See Lee Pace arriving at the Schiaparelli Couture Fall 2022 show in Paris, France!
  • “‘Minions: Rise of Gru’ had a spectacular opening weekend box office” links
  • Victoria Arbiter wants to sue the YouTube ‘pranksters’ who exposed her as a fraud
  • Rege-Jean Page & Serena Williams Rock Pink Shades at 'Thor: Love & Thunder' Premiere in London

Most Recent

  • Campaign Banner Defaced With Homophobic Slur,  Stolen Over July 4th; Out Kansas City Candidate Justice Horn ‘Not Backing Down’

    Campaign Banner Defaced With Homophobic Slur, Stolen Over July 4th; Out Kansas City Candidate Justice Horn ‘Not Backing Down’

  • Georgia grand jury in Trump election probe subpoenas Giuliani, Senator Graham

    Georgia grand jury in Trump election probe subpoenas Giuliani, Senator Graham

  • Bette Midler denies being ‘exclusionary or transphobic’ after backlash over ‘erasure of women’ tweet

    Bette Midler denies being ‘exclusionary or transphobic’ after backlash over ‘erasure of women’ tweet

  • New documentary exploring Victoria’s Secret sex scandals to drop on Hulu

    New documentary exploring Victoria’s Secret sex scandals to drop on Hulu

  • Russia: detained U.S. basketball player Griner may appeal, ask for clemency

    Russia: detained U.S. basketball player Griner may appeal, ask for clemency

  • Beyonce ‘is running MeToo checks’ on potential collaborators

    Beyonce ‘is running MeToo checks’ on potential collaborators

  • How Republican-led states are targeting Wall Street with ‘anti-woke’ laws

    How Republican-led states are targeting Wall Street with ‘anti-woke’ laws

  • Turkish police teargas Pride march in Ankara, detain 36

    Turkish police teargas Pride march in Ankara, detain 36

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy
[towleroadmr] [towleroadtn]

Footer

Copyright © 2022 · Log in