By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
“Eat Pray Love”, the new movie featuring a soul-searching Julia Roberts, is not something faithful Catholics will find inspiring, says the U.S. Bishops news service, and might explain why the star decided to become Hindu after making the film.
According to a review published by the Catholic News Service (CNS), the story is based on the exploits of Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts), a New York writer in the midst of a mid-life crisis who decides to divorce her husband and travel the world in search of enlightenment and self-understanding.
During her stay in Rome, instead of visiting churches, she spends her time over-eating with newfound friends in Italian restaurants.
“Liz develops a circle of laid-back friends who teach her how to enjoy life while scarfing down quantities of pasta, pizza and artichokes,” writes CNS’ John Mulderig. “Though she seemingly hits every restaurant in town, she gives the churches a pass, the implication being that she knows better than to look to Catholicism for insight.
From there, she heads to India and the religious establishment run by her new lover’s guru where viewers are treated to an “unhealthy atmosphere of semi-idolatrous worship,” including a scene where Liz and her lover sit before an altar he erected to her in his apartment.
Her next stop is Bali in Indonesia to “see what’s offered – metaphysically and otherwise.”
Liz’s “interminable navel-gazing” and the confusing psychobabble that comes out of the mouths of her spiritual mentors, results in a “dramatically sputtering, spiritually barren slog to the final credits,” Mulderig concludes.
That the film may have a negative impact on Catholic viewers seems to be borne out by the fact that Roberts, who was raised Catholic, decided to become Hindu after making the film. She recently told Elle magazine, “I’m definitely a practicing Hindu.”
Overall, CNS gives the movie an “L” rating (limited adult audience), citing the film’s complex religious themes, acceptability of divorce, nonmarital and premarital situations, rear nudity and some sexual humor as just some of the reasons why Catholics might want to avoid this film.
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