November 22, 2024
EAT PRAY LOVE

Welcome to my article on some of the best romantic movies for singles. Yes, for singles! Contrary to how society views uncoupled people, we aren’t miserable, sad, lonely, creatures, who can’t live a fulfilling life. Further, many are single by choice because they don’t believe in settling on love. I’m one of those people. Never settle just for being in a relationship, and neither should you wait to meet that person you connect with. It may never happen. It’s better to enjoy your life to the fullest, and that includes watching romantic movies. With that said, even if you’re not in a relationship you can still enjoy romance. So, I compiled a list of some of my favorites to share with you. Whether you’re in a relationship or single, I believe you will enjoy the six movies I’ve chosen. I will post a short review on why I like the movies.

Please note this is not a traditional review, where I critique the production. My focus is on the characters and why I like them. I’m simply sharing my personal experience. 🙂

All of the movies listed can be found on DVD Netflix.  Rent one today!

The Cast

Julia Roberts // Liz Gilbert
Javier Bardem // Felipe
Richard Jenkins // Richard from Texas

Director

Ryan Murphy

The Synopsis

Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) thought she had everything she wanted in life: a home, a husband, and a successful career. Now newly divorced and facing a turning point, she finds that she is confused about what is important to her. Daring to step out of her comfort zone, Liz embarks on a quest of self-discovery that takes her to Italy, India, and Bali.

The Overview

Ryan Murphy successfully navigates the intricacies of relationships in this film. Love lost and yearned, acceptance needed, and self-discovery is all packaged and delivered with timeless effort.

When crisis strike Liz, she ends her marriage with Stephen (Billy Crudup), who was blindsided by her statement, “I don’t want to be married.” I couldn’t help but flashback to my own situation, where I ended an engagement. Watching the scene was like watching myself. The hurt and anguish Stephen felt were well played by Crudup. You could see the into his soul.

Although the film served as great entertainment with its colorful cast and exotic locations, Murphy made the focus of the film about finding yourself and discovering your true passion. We all become lost at some point in our lives. We lose our way. Some of us find a new path that was meant for us, while others aimlessly wander never finding what inspires them. Julia Roberts was excellent in her role as Liz. She was able to evoke the emotions needed to play her. This is a highly emotional movie, and the director picked the perfect cast.

The cinematography is extraordinary. There were a few times when the movie felt a bit drawn out, but the exotic locations and impressive dialogue really captured my attention. Warning, a box of tissues may be needed for this movie.

My Thoughts

There are two scenes that gave me pause. One was when Liz told her best friend Delia Shiraz (Viola Davis) how she never gave herself breaks between relationships to deal with herself. That resonated with me. This is the main reason why I remained single. It’s been four years and the feeling is practically indescribable. I’m in a good place, and it feels wonderful. So, seeing Liz take a break and go on this journey of redemption, transformation, choices, and discovery is something I applaud. I couldn’t help but scream ‘go girl’ and clap loudly. The second scene was when Delia says goodbye to Liz at the airport and confessed how she loves her job, her guy, and her kid, but was near tears when she told Liz how she wishes she could go with her. Haven’t we all felt this way at some point in our lives—this need to escape?

The main reason I remained single is to avoid settling.  You can easily appear to have everything you want, and, yet, there is still this longing for much more. No one should ever settle. My friends say I’m afraid to love, again. Of course, I disagree. I do believe there is that one person that you’re connected to. Some of us are fortunate to meet them, while some aren’t. But if you haven’t that’s OK. We must avoid basing our entire life on being in a relationship because of the most important relationship, at least, for me, is my relationship with God and how well I treat myself, my family, my friends, and people.

Eat Pray Love is refreshing, creative, and whimiscal—and well worth a few hours of your time. It is available on DVD Netflix.

[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjay5vgIwt4″]

Next review: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (6/25/2017).

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