Travel writer Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) finds herself suffocating in her marriage and asks her husband for a divorce. It gets messy but Liz starts a new romantic relationship with a struggling actor named David (James Franco). Shortly after the divorce is final, Liz starts to feel like she is losing herself and decides to take a 9 month sabbatical and travel to “find herself”. She ends her relationship with David and heads overseas.
- Italy (Eat) – Liz meets new and wonderful friends and immerses herself in the Italian good life. She experiences all the culinary wonders and comes to accept herself and the joys life can bring.
- India (Pray) – Liz stays at an ashram where she learns mediation, yoga and to quiet herself her thinking. She befriends Richard, a Texan, who is facing his own personal demons and both Liz and Richard learn to let go of guilt and past mistakes. Liz finds peace.
- Bali (Love) – Liz studies with a medicine man named Ketut and meets Felipe (Javier Bardem), a divorcee who lives in Bali and is from Brazil. The two become friends and soon, lovers. Ketut had predicted that Liz would have 2 marriages, one short and one long. Liz and Felipe fall in love but Liz is afraid to get hurt again. Ketut convinces her that sometimes, to find balance in life, you have to be willing to be unbalanced by love. Renewed by Ketut’s words, she declares her love for him and Liz and Felipe sail off into the Bali sunset.