# Erin Brockovich (2000)

### reviewed by
Greg King

ERIN BROCKOVICH (M). (Columbia Tristar) Director: Steven Soderbergh Stars: Julia Roberts, Albert Finney, Aaron Eckhart, Peter Coyote, Marg Helgenberger, Scotty Leavenworth, Gemmenner De La Penna, Cherry Jones, Tracey Walter, Dawn Didawick Running time: 131 minutes.

A twice divorced, unemployed mother of three young children, Erin Brockovich (Julia Roberts) struggles to be taken seriously. But when she lands a job as a secretary in the small law firm run by Ed Masry (Oscar winning veteran Albert Finney) she eventually gains respect as the key player in a multi- million dollar law suit against a giant energy corporation.

Masry has been in the business for years and thinks he has earned a little bit of peace and quiet. He has become a little set in his ways after years of dealing with civil matters and trivial litigation. But even he finds himself actively involved when Erin discovers that a power company has, for several decades, been polluting the water supply of a small town and lying about it. Erin investigates why real estate records for the sale of houses within the town also contain private medical records. Eventually she rallies the townsfolk together in a frustrating effort to sue the power company.

It is a David versus Goliath like struggle in which the underdog eventually triumphs. Victory also enables Erin to break away from that stereotype in which most people have neatly pigeon holed her for so long. Erin Brockovich is based on a true story, and although it takes a few liberties along the way, it is, for the most part, an involving tale.

Steven Soderbergh's direction is a tad manipulative, as he takes great pains to make us feel sympathy for the small town victims of the faceless corporation's greed. There are few subtleties to be found in this film, as Soderbergh (the superb crime film Out Of Sight, etc) tends to paint everything in broad strokes. But the script, from Susannah Grant (Ever After, etc) and Soderbergh, contains plenty of winning humour and is not without its charms.

When the film explores Erin's troubled and unconventional personal life it becomes bogged down and occasionally repetitive, and many within the audience will become restless during these scenes. However, while depicting Erin's tenacious paper chase through the daunting amount of documents and legal technicalities and her patient attempts at gathering evidence, the film works a treat.

Like a few other recent films based on true stories about an unlikely triumph against the odds (The Insider, The Hurricane, etc), Erin Brockovich becomes a compelling and inspiring drama that should please audiences. Like its appealing heroine, Erin Brockovich should also effectively change a few misconceptions about Roberts' abilities.

Comfortable with roles in lightweight romantic comedies, Roberts has sometimes struggled with the demands of portraying more dramatic characters. However, she finds a role that perfectly suits her here, and delivers one of her best performances for quite some time. She delivers a warts and all characterisation of a woman unafraid to speak her mind and exploit of her sexuality in getting what she wants. Her well rounded and complex performance captures Erin's prickly nature, her hidden strengths, her driven nature, yet also hints at the vulnerability and insecurity that lies just below the surface.

Finney is also superb as her initially blustering boss, who originally underestimates his unusual new employee, but gradually grows to admire and respect Erin's ability. Aaron Eckhart (In The Company Of Men, etc) makes the most of the lesser developed role of George, the bikie who befriends Erin and her kids, but is driven away by his own inability to cope with her growing sense of confidence and assurance. The real Erin Brockovich contributes a brief cameo as a waitress in a restaurant early in the movie.

    ***
    greg king
    http://www.netau.com.au/gregking

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