The Review at a Glance: ( max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
82
Studio and Year: Columbia Pictures - 2010
Feature running time: 140 minutes Theatrical Cut / 145 minutes Directors Cut
Genre: Drama / Romance
Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 1.85:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): English, French DTS-HD MA 5.1, English Audio Description 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English, English SDH, Spanish, French
Starring: Julia Roberts, James Franco, Richard Jenkins, Viola Davis, Billy Crudup, Javier Bardem
Directed by: Ryan Murphy
Music by: PJ Bloom
Written by: Screenplay by Ryan Murphy & Jennifer Salt, Based on a Book by Elizabeth Gilbert
Region Code: A/B/C
Blu-ray Disc release Date: November 23, 2010
"Let Yourself Go This August"
Film Synopsis:
Believing there's more to life than a husband, house and career, Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) finds herself with a new appetite for life in this inspiring true story, based on the bestselling book. She leaves New York and embarks on a yearlong journey - traveling to Italy, India and Bali - seeking self-discovery through good food, meditation and the prospect of finding true love. Javier Bardem, James Franco and Billy Crudup co-star in this sumptuous and uplifting adventure filled with humor and heart.
My Take:
Whenever we go away and my wife sees a tarot card reader she loves to go in. I laugh and am not into it, and I always tell her that she is in for a mind-trip if they say something spooky or terrible. Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) is a writer and while working on a story in Bali, she decides to visit a Medicine Man whom she had heard good things about. He tells her she will have a short marriage, then a long marriage and that she will revisit Bali again. It sets her mind racing and when she gets back home she initiates a divorce from her husband (Billy Crudup). Like I said, if you go in for a reading of some sort, you never know what will be said (true of not) and how you will react to it.Liz proceeds to meet a younger free spirited actor (James Franco), have a fling and get the crazy notion to take a year off. She decides to go on a trip alone. She visit Italy, India then Bali, just like prophesied by the Medicine Man. So with 2 out of the 3 predictions coming true, what do you think will happen on her journey?? Should I spoil it or is it already obvious? The answer to that is about as interesting and as this bland soul searching adventure gets.
Julia Roberts is perfectly Julia Roberts here, but at times, it feels as if she knows this is a lackluster screenplay as well. The supporting cast hits their marks very well. Billy Crudup, in his small roll really stood out; I loved he song he sings Liz when working on the divorce. In Italy she meets Richard Jenkins who plays Richard from Texas. He steals the movie as always. He has becoming one of my favorite actors (check out The Visitor).
Liz ends up back in Bali with the Medicine Man and meets the Love Portion of the film, the oh-so-dreamy Mr Javier Bardem. I swear, my wife liked this movie only because he was in it. I was bored during this over 2 hour snooze fest, and felt it was just a vehicle to show pretty people in exotic locations. There was no depth to the plot, which should feel deep. India... Bali... soul searching. I should feel some of this spiritual journey, right? For me it was 50 minutes too long. I hear the book was fantastic, stick with that.
Parental Guide:
Rated PG-13 on appeal for brief strong language, some sexual references and male rear nudity
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Audio: 84
- Dynamics:
- Low frequency extension:
- Surround Sound presentation:
- Clarity/Detail:
- Dialogue Reproduction:
Video: 80
- Resolution/Clarity:
- Black level/Shadow detail:
- Color reproduction:
- Fleshtones:
- Compression:
Eat Pray Love's video had a stylistic decision to look a bit over-saturated color and blow out contrast-wise. The results are a mixed bag, but Sony's transfer does the source justice. Warm and a bit soft are the best way to describe what I saw. Certain scenes finer details really do pop out when lighting and color palette are not effecting the image too much, but when the films full stylization is in effect, details take a slight back-seat. Over all it is a good presentation, its just not filmed in a way that takes advantage of the sharpness and details Blu-ray can render. The DTS-HD MA soundtrack it more competent, featuring a front-heavy, clear and articulate sound-scape. Surrounds channels are used right on the money, filling the room with natural ambiance and background noise from each completely different location. Not a movie with much use for heavy bass, however, when the films music kicks in, we get a treat to a well rounded and dynamic mix. This is a Blu-ray not to be considered for knock-out quality, though its not bad at all.
Bonus Features:
- (HD) Ryan Murphy's Journey with 'Eat Pray Love'
- (HD) The Beginning of the Journey
- (HD) Praying in India
- (HD) Finding Balance
- (HD) Eddie Vedder - Better Days Music Video
- (HD) Trailers: The Other Guys, Easy A, Salt, Mother and Child, Welcome to the Rileys, Tamara Drewe, and Grown Ups
- BD Live enabled
- movie IQ
Final Thoughts:
Eat Pray Love. More like Coffee Sleep Hate for me. OK hate is a strong word but I would have quit an hour into it if I wasn't reviewing the film. I did like the beginning act as well as the Italy segment, unfortunately it just got strung on too long, wearing any charm that was there way too thin. The new age bent with the guru's and Medicine man etc. never felt authentic and Julia Roberts Liz was a boring character with a less then engaging story-arch. Chop out a half hour, sprinkle a little more humor and I bet this would have become a 3 star movie instead of 2. The Blu-ray is a clean rendering of what the source looked like, but that source is not too thrilling of a technical presentation. If you want to see this movie I suggest a rental. Well actually I suggest not bothering.
Lee Weber
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS35 1080p High Definition Front Projector (Calibrated by Jeff Meier)
Custom 1.3 Gain 128" 2.37:1 CinemaScope Screen
Pioneer SC27 Receiver (Calibrated by Jeff Meier)
Pioneer Elite BDP-23FD Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Triangle Zerius Speakers (7.1)
SVS PC13-Ultra Subwoofer
I can't believe it. So now she wants to own it and make me watch it. She wants it on Blu ray too... Well... At least I bought Expendables to balance it out 
