Erin Brockovich (2000)

Excellent adaptation.

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

This is the role of life for Julie Roberts. The film is great, and especially important when it is known that it was made on a true event. The role played perfectly. The focus is on the story from the first to the last second. I have the impression that this role is written for Julia, rather than as it is often the case that the actor adjusts to the role.8,5/10

Although filmed sixteen years ago, Erin Brockovich (Julia Roberts) was and is the modern day "badass" persona that every woman secretly has dwelling inside of her. No filter for her language or sense of professional style, Erin is headstrong, determined, self-motivated, and frankly could not care less about the opinions of others. Based on a true story, I would give the film 3.5 stars and describe it as a drama comedy. Set in Los Angles and Hickley, California, Erin serves as both an inspiration and real life story of the American dream, motivating the viewers that with passion and hard work, anything can be achieved. Erin's cry for financial desperation and her unique sense of humor is portrayed in the opening scene of the film where she is applying to a medical job that she clearly has no experience in, but this shows how much Erin is unafraid of rejection and humiliation. Erin's strong confidence stems from her ability to have raised three children without the support of a man, and it is her confidence that allows her to poke her nose where most people wouldn't dare to. Erin's life is shown as a plummeting spiral that one can do nothing but empathize with or simply laugh at- Erin has no income, three young children, no money in her bank account, a neck brace, and an attitude that has got her nothing but trouble. Simple activities like feeding her children or even just being in the house are over intensified because Erin is so dissatisfied with her life. Erin finally lands a job in Ed Masry's (Albert Finney) office, which is the first positive change in her soon to be completely different life. She seems out of place and disliked, but that doesn't stop her from earning her place of respect. Erin's relationship with Masry turns from disgust and hatred to a fulfilling, meaningful friendship while also being business partners. Erin's stance for her originality and blunt difference from the other personas in the movie is what makes her such a fascinating protagonist. Even when Masry asks her to rethink her wardrobe, Erin shoots back at him with "maybe you should rethink your ties." A love interest occurs, like in all Hollywood dramas, but her boldness aids her in shooting down the bearded biker neighbor by the name of George (Aaron Eckhart) that would like to be more than just neighbors, even though love is the last thing on Erin's mind. Her bluntness is what makes her such an attention grabber and has people listen to what she has to say even though she has no formal professional schooling and acts far from how an employee would act in a law firm. Erin stumbles upon the records of Donna Jensen, who lives in Hinkley, and is perplexed as to why Donna's medical records are included in her real estate files. Finding this odd and unsettling, Erin takes this task into her own hands. Erin's personal search for Donna turns into something more than just completing her regular reception job, it becomes a passionate obsession that Erin is determined to get to the bottom of. Erin sets out to determine the significance and relevance of the medical records that were correlated with other real estate files. It's not obvious what exactly ignited the passion and concern in Erin to set out on her own to investigate these random real estate files, but this curiosity begins a long journey to attempt to provide justice to the residence of a small town in Hinkley, California. With the help of her wit and feminine beauty, Erin is able to dig through the water records of a notorious company by the name of PG & E, which may have something to do with the health of the residences surrounding the town of Hickley.As Erin's care for the families of Hickley grows deeper, her own personal life becomes more significant, fulfilling, and mature. Erin develops a deep and true care for the lives and well being of these people, no longer for a need of financial desperation, but for a need to do good unto others that have been unluckily touched by the illegal doings of big money companies. Erin gets to know the residences of Hickley on a far personal level and induces pathos in the audience. The film is not a full five star rating because although it's interesting it is just not a film that I would re-watch years from now or highly recommend to a friend. Although, it does accurately depict and raise awareness to the true events that happened in Hickley, there were many parts that caused me to be disengaged. Overall, the film is much more dramatic than the average documentary but allows the audience to be inspired by the determination of Erin Brockovich to do what's right while also improving her life.

There are a lot of money lines in this smart drama about a woman directing a lawsuit against a big corporation that poisoned a community. One of my favorites is when the title character, played by Julia Roberts, complains she isn't taken seriously because she didn't go to law school."Law school!" moans her boss, Ed Masry (Albert Finney). "At this point, I'd settle for charm school."Never mind Masry: "Erin Brockovich," at least the movie, has charm coming out of its ears. From Erin's many abrasive wisecracks to her more sensitive dealings with the good people of Hinkley, California, this is a high-impact touchy-feely drama that works familiar territory in unusual ways, making for engaging entertainment.Girl-power enthusiasts will enjoy how Roberts inhabits her role with surprising gusto and some jaw-dropping language, coming off a bit like George C. Scott did in "Patton," albeit with a much different wardrobe.The contributions of two women behind the scenes are equally worthy of note: Screenwriter Susannah Grant and editor Anne V. Coates. Grant capably juggles her two key themes, of corporate malfeasance and personal self-discovery by binding them with a common thread of motherhood. There are cute moments and heartbreaking moments; the strength of Grant's writing is they all feel like authentic moments on screen.Coates, who edited "Lawrence Of Arabia," keeps the story moving with sharp cuts that invest you in drama without bogging you down in details. Right after Erin first meets Masry, to tell him about her hit-and-run case, we cut to her telling her story in a courtroom (only one of two courtroom scenes in the whole film, both brief.) The whole film moves like that, not rat-a-tat, but alert to keeping scenes tight where they can be, without shortchanging the emotional arc.As far as guys go, Finney is enjoyably easy-going, quite a departure from his Angry Young Man persona of the 1960s sporting a doughy Texas accent. He's consistently likable as Erin's constructive- minded foil. Aaron Eckhart is also effective playing a character far removed from his usual sinister-smoothy roles. And "Erin Brockovich" contains probably the most clever use of character actor Tracey Walter you'll ever see, a tribute to both his acting skill and Coates' cuts.Steven Soderbergh may be the most consequential director of the 21st century so far, for the way his films manage to both engage and challenge audiences. Here, the emphasis is more on the former. Still, his use of hand-held cameras for small, intimate scenes, and his refusal to overplay the heavy drama represent significant departures from the usual Hollywood treatments."Brockovich" doesn't make for much of a final statement. It shortchanges the emotional issues it raises, content instead to tout a historic cash settlement that can't help but land a bit flat. The real Brockovich, like Patton, may not live up to the great build-up she gets here. But for at least two hours, Roberts, Soderbergh, and company are too good for you to care about that.

The movie Erin Brockovich (Julia Roberts) is based on a real story and gives the audience a heroine version of David and Goliath. Never portrayed as a martyr, Erin, a twice-divorced mother of 3, continues to fight for a job so she can provide for her family. Even though Erin is constantly viewed as unqualified and undereducated, we see a woman who uses her street smarts, quick wit, and sarcasm to level the playing field and be the unlikely heroine. Injured in a car accident, Erin hires attorney Ed Masry (Albert Finney), who arrogantly reassures her that she would be victorious. But when the judge didn't agree, Erin went to Ed looking for a job. As Erin senses his hesitation, she asks him not to make her beg, and hesitantly Ed hires her as a file clerk. As Erin eagerly learns the ropes, she tries to understand why medical documents are in with real estate sales. With permission from Ed, Erin goes out into the field. As she speaks to residents and finds conflicting documentation at the County water plant she seeks out a toxicologist at UCLA. It is then that she starts to uncover Pacific Gas and Electric's (PG&E) dark secrets. Erin overcame judgmental attorneys daily, but it was watching her reaction to her boyfriend George (Aaron Eckhart) that had me rooting for her from the couch. As he blamed her job for his loneliness and taking her time away from her children, George proves he is just like the other men in her life. They all leave when they don't get what they want. Erin sees that the personality traits that have held her back for so long is what makes her the voice for the residents of Hinkley. The cinematography gives the audience multiple points of view, but it is the subjective point of view that allows the audience to connect emotionally with the residents of Hinkley. As Erin talks to Annabelle Daniels, a 10-year-old girl who is fighting a brain tumor, the camera zooms in for a close-up that shows the suffering and fear that the Daniels family is going through. The use of natural lighting was another effect that added to the realistic setting throughout the movie. As Erin and George drive out to give Donna Jenson the news from the settlement we can see the colors and glow from the sunset as it not only warmed their faces but also the land around them. The sun gave a natural warmth as it radiated off the sand and sparse greenage. The audience gets to see both sides of Erin the compassion and empathy that she has for the families of Hinkley and the brutally honest unfiltered side she uses when she feels that she isn't being respected by co-workers and other attorneys. The natural lighting that was used created a visually soft side of Erin in direct contrast to the tone of the character; as if putting a spotlight on the unlikely heroine. The character Erin Brockovich is similar to Vivian Ward (Pretty Women), also played by Roberts. Both women were judged by the outside world but used their street smarts, wit, and sarcasm to win over the hearts of the viewers and the other characters in the movie.