Two moments have stayed with me, one in particular: Javier Bardem crying as he says goodbye to his 19 year old son. The moment provokes a reaction on Julia Roberts's character that makes her totally human. The moment comes on the last third of the film so I thought it was a bit too late to start my relationship with her. The other moment happens at the beginning after she decides to walk away from her marriage and realizes she has broken her husband's heart. Terrific Billy Crudup fighting back tears as the elevator door closes. I love Julia Roberts but I can't quite buy her "philosophical face" 42 years of age in the new millennium is far too young for that kind of crisis, specially when the crisis is provoked by something missing in her. So, okay, a journey of discovery, but then...? The discovery is that she knew it all along. What next. I must say the guys in the movie get the prize, third price really. The first price goes to the location, second price to the food - goodness, the food! - and third to the guys. Bardem fantastic, Richard Jenkins superb - Billy Crudup surprisingly real, James Franco also great and Luca Argentero another plus.

Altogether, the topic, the locations, the atmospheres, the acting made me enjoy the movie more than the book. I read the book and found it OK, but not like fantastic (almost like the Alchymist by Coehlo; sort of simple enough for anyone to understand, but deep enough for a lot of people to feel intellectual or in touch with new thoughts). But for the movie I had low expectations, based on the reviews - nonetheless I was positively surprised, though left wondering if most critics are just a bunch of sheep following a path (made by an old sheep who left decades ago)? And hence, obliged to hate any woman prioritizing herself?

The movie deals with a topic that very few (American) movies actually deal with - our inner lives and pursuits for balance and happiness. Maybe because it is difficult, as it is a somewhat stand still, internal journey. But EPL has made it possible by wrapping it into an external journey too.

But my main point adding to the other reviews: Some of the criticism of the movie is that the main character doesn't seem to have a good reason to be unhappy, and to leave her husband. However, what is dealt with in the book, but not comes across in the movie, is that she and her husband are to trying to have a baby, as is expected by "people" (and by her husband). EG discovers in this process that she is still not ready for children, in fact she never will be. She doesn't feel cut for it at all, and if she has a child, she feel she'll lose herself (her new husband got himself fixed before he met her, so there was never a question about it). To choose away what many women view as a deed to validate their existence; having children, is tough and scary. One will be judged. Also, she knew her husband's expectation of building a family was not unreasonable, making her feel ashamed and different. This is one of the key reasons for her to start praying; to be able to follow her own instincts, breaking the conventional norms. By excluding from the script this realization for the main character, the viewer is left puzzled with what is wrong in this marriage, there is something that doesn't make sense here. Too bad, leaving this issue out, as it would've added another dimension to the movie and increase the viewers understanding of why EG and her husband should split.

I can't help wonder why they chose to eliminate it from the story, whether it is because it would not appeal to conservative American women who after all are the majority of the box office customers for this movie? Or whether the movie creator thought it wouldn't make a difference? After all it made the whole lot of difference to the marriage, and was a impetus for her entire journey.

All the pieces were here, great actors, beautiful cinematography, a fun storyline... but it didn't feel authentic, there was no heart, no chemistry. Very mediocre.