I don’t want to take anything away from the book or Elizabeth Gilbert but there is something very shallow about this movie. From watching her story on screen there is little that I sympathized or understood. Although Julia Roberts is a dependable actress there is little that convinces me to feel what she feels. The vibrant, sun-filled aesthetic of this film seemed to gloss over any possible real conflict or tension. Instead, you’re witnessing a travel show hosted by a self-absorbed woman. Every stranger she meets is thrilled to meet her or ends up feeling torn to see her leave. Really?! Can an argument be made that maybe that’s how the common North American views him/her self when they travel the world? We are merely consumers of other cultures food, spirituality and men (or women). I was hoping to find something substantial in this film but was left with a thick residue of superficiality. Maybe the book might be better.