The Reintroduction of Julia Roberts

For a few years Julia Roberts was just....intensely unlikeable. Maybe it had something to do with her oscar speech, her time off, her string of thankless roles where she played uptight, gabby women which didn't really suit her "America's Sweetheart" persona. She's kind of a limited amazing kind of actress. By last year, I would have been happy never to see Julia Roberts act again.

But she's back! Our Sweetheart is back in "Eat Pray Love", a perfect vehicle for her natural beauty and a new zen-like radiance I've never seen. I'm so glad they didn't get, say, Jennifer Aniston for the movie. Not that I have anything against the latter (to be honest, I don't get the general vehemence about her) but the movie would need to play off a mature woman to make it work, otherwise it wouldn't be different from all these grating rom-com "makeover" montages. While watching the trailer, I automatically paralleled the character's journey with Julia's own life changes in the past few years - surely there was a similar post-Oscar emotional crisis, having two babies, motherhood, all that? She's grown up. And I think it shows - for once, there's not only the sassy sweetness but also endearing, soft-eyed smiles and relaxed bohemian dresses (thanks, costume designer!) that comes a little closer to Streep than Aniston. Aniston, for in her late forties is still seen cavorting with a new, younger hunk every week and dressing like a 25 year old, wouldn't exactly represent that newfound wisdom.

(I hate fade-offs! Nevertheless the shots I was talking about:)

Same expression as before? Sure. But it's addictive and gratifying to look at, because it's real star power. Yay!