...or everybody loves Julia. Free-thinking, never-been-to-me writer Liz, (Julia Roberts) decides to escape the rat race and her well-meaning but smothering husband to, of course, find her true self by travelling to Italy, India and Bali, as you would and experiencing real life in the process. We all should have her problems.
And yes, by the end, she's made umpteen life-long friendships, found her own guru and the power of zen, built a new home for a single-parent and child from contributions solicited from the afore-mentioned new pals and of course to top it all off, finds true love way out east to a handsome, swarthy Brazilian, who openly discusses his sex-life with his 19 year-old Australian (don't ask me why) son whom he kisses on the lips at goodbyes. Along the way she breaks the hearts of two young handsome guys, turns down another and connects seriously with everyone from a Swedish tourist and her tutor in Italy, a recovering Texan alcoholic and teenage girl going through an arranged marriage in India not forgetting her Latin lover, toothless ancient swami and his homeless nurse in Bali. Yes indeed, love surely grows where Lizzie goes.
The writing and acting are frequently look-away bad, the whole thing looking like a woman's magazine piece bloated out of all recognition. For some reason too, 70's music features heavily in the soundtrack - I just wondered what Neil Young might have made of two of his songs being pressed into action in support of this unbelievable, over-sentimental nonsense.
I can think of only one praiseworthy thing to say about this film...er, nice locations.
And yes, by the end, she's made umpteen life-long friendships, found her own guru and the power of zen, built a new home for a single-parent and child from contributions solicited from the afore-mentioned new pals and of course to top it all off, finds true love way out east to a handsome, swarthy Brazilian, who openly discusses his sex-life with his 19 year-old Australian (don't ask me why) son whom he kisses on the lips at goodbyes. Along the way she breaks the hearts of two young handsome guys, turns down another and connects seriously with everyone from a Swedish tourist and her tutor in Italy, a recovering Texan alcoholic and teenage girl going through an arranged marriage in India not forgetting her Latin lover, toothless ancient swami and his homeless nurse in Bali. Yes indeed, love surely grows where Lizzie goes.
The writing and acting are frequently look-away bad, the whole thing looking like a woman's magazine piece bloated out of all recognition. For some reason too, 70's music features heavily in the soundtrack - I just wondered what Neil Young might have made of two of his songs being pressed into action in support of this unbelievable, over-sentimental nonsense.
I can think of only one praiseworthy thing to say about this film...er, nice locations.