I'm not exactly proud of this, but I've read the chick lit behemoth Eat Pray Love and, worse, kind of liked it. So I've been following the book's development into a movie with some interest, wondering how a very episodic book taking place on three continents could possibly become a coherent narrative. Of course, given that they have Julia Roberts playing the lead role, no one will likely care if the narrative works anyway.

And now the movie has another ace up its sleeve-- newly Oscar-nominated Richard Jenkins, who will play a Texan whom Roberts' character befriends at an Indian ashram. The wording in the Variety article suggests that Jenkins' role will be a big one, which is odd, given that the role isn't that big in the book. If the movie turns out true to the book, Jenkins' part would be similar to Hal Holbrook's in Into the Wild-- important in its one section, but having little impact on the story as a whole.

Still, any Jenkins is good Jenkins as far as I'm concerned. And hopefully Nip/Tuck creator Ryan Murphy, who is writing and directing this one, will capture some of Elizabeth Gilbert's energy in writing the book, which has doubtlessly inspired countless women to take their own inter-continental journeys... or at least take up yoga. Hey, baby steps.

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