Erin Brockovich

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Theodore L Oct 17, 2018 a breath of fresh air in this hectic mechanical world.. Erin Brockovich Soderbergh's unflinching reply to the misogynistic mentality is a real timeless gem. Ticking for more than two hours, it follows one and only one track that keeps us tangled in this traffic of mediocrity through which the protagonist soars as an obvious clear winner. It is not believable because it is real but is real because it is believable. This insanely sane character of Roberts is just a breath of fresh air in this hectic mechanical world. And despite of the fact that she is dipped into one, she is surprisingly calm, smart and hard worker than the ones surrounding her. She stands alone not only on these characteristics but the tiny notions that shows her humbleness. And amidst all these fine qualities, she is also flawed and blatant about few fragile things which actually sculpts her to a more effective and humane that makes its easier to connect. Aforementioned, the narration is adaptive and layered if not gripping and is also too much mechanic that is unfortunately imputed with unfiltered storytelling of it. And this is where Soderbergh swoops in, he takes his time, he glorifies each moments through his brilliant finesse on execution that keeps the thrills alive. The dialogues aren't just mere a medium to converse but has their own characters, especially the way they are delivered by Roberts. The eerie buoyant natured script is what keeps us thriving and wolfish for the behemoth exposure that this case is, since the revelations are enfolded with equal sincerity that keeps us giving back and back. And to justify these reasons is what Soderbergh's job is and he is well aware of it. Erin Brockovich is a force to be reckoned with and not because of all the prowess that it possess but the line drawn on its ideal state. See more

George R Aug 7, 2018 Why can't I find more movies like this...

Harry G Jun 12, 2018 At the very beginning of the 21st century, alongside raunchy comedies such as Keenan Ivory William's Scary Movie and big budget blockbusters like Bryan Singer's X-Men, came a rather unconventional biographical drama that succeeded in pleasing both critics and audiences alike. This film was Steven Soderbergh's Erin Brockovich, which overcame its small character and plot faults by delivering a smart, funny, and meaningful legal drama spearheaded by lead actress, Julia Roberts. Brockovich opens in small town suburban southern California during the early 1990s when the title character, Erin Brockovich (Roberts), is presented as a twice divorced mother of three who's having trouble finding a job due to her lack of education. The string of bad luck continues when Erin is hit by a car while she drove through a green light. She loses the resulting court case due to her rather explosive courtroom behavior. After the case, Erin goes back to her lawyer, Ed Masry (Albert Finney), demanding that he offer her a job. Eventually, Masry (reluctantly) accepts and offers Erin a job as a file clerk in his office. While working at Masry's law firm, Erin stumbles across some information on a then-little-known case filed against Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) that doesn't seem to add up. Upon further investigation, Erin discovers a systematic cover-up of the industrial poisoning of a city's (Hinkley's) water supply, which in turn endangers the health of the entire community. As the film continues to progress, Erin becomes more and more invested in the case, however the time she puts into the case turns out to come at the expense of her personal life with her three kids and boyfriend, George (Aaron Eckhart). This takes a toll on Erin as she tries to balance her responsibilities to her children and to a job that has given her a sense of self-worth for the first time. Although there are many things that make Brockovich as good as it is, its greatest strength is undoubtedly Julia Roberts' performance as the lead character. Her charismatic and believable portrayal of Brockovich make a character, that really shouldn't be as likeable on paper, work so well. This is because, despite her rudeness and constant use of profanity, Roberts makes you believe in Erin Brockovich as a living, breathing human being even as your watching her on screen, making it pretty easy to root for her right from the beginning. As the film progresses, Roberts has a few standout scenes where she just goes off on stuck up and despicable characters, which then only adds to her charm and fiery attitude. An example of this comes when PG&E lawyers come to Masry's office to discuss a price to "reimburse" the residents of Hinkley: Ms. Sanchez (PG&E lawyer): Let's be honest here. $20 million dollars is more money than these people have ever dreamed of. Erin Brockovich: Oh see, now that pisses me off. First of all, since the demur we have more than 400 plaintiffs and... let's be honest, we all know there are more out there. They may not be the most sophisticated people but they do know how to divide and $20 million isn't shit when you split it between them. Second of all, these people don't dream about being rich. They dream about being able to watch their kids swim in a pool without worrying that they'll have to have a hysterectomy at the age of twenty. Like Rosa Diaz, a client of ours. Or have their spine deteriorate, like Stan Blume, another client of ours. So before you come back here with another lame ass offer, I want you to think real hard about what your spine is worth, Mr. Walker. Or what you might expect someone to pay you for your uterus, Ms. Sanchez. Then you take out your calculator and you multiply that number by a hundred. Anything less than that is a waste of our time. Roberts performance during this scene is very strong, you can feel her frustration and her passion, and in a way it's almost mesmerizing in that you forget you're watching a movie for a second. Because of this scene, and many more strong moments throughout the film, it's really not surprising that for Robert's role in Brockovich, she won the Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, and various critics awards for Best Actress. As for the film's supporting characters, their acting is definitely not as engaging as Roberts', but they are still solid. Finney as Mr. Masry makes a convincing performance as a man who has a good heart but is so aware of the loopholes in his profession that he's lost a significant amount of hope in it. Eckhart as George also provides a grounded performance, but while his character is crucial to freeing up Erin to do her job, his storyline is just not as compelling when compared to the lawsuit. Another highpoint of the film is its tone and message. The tone of the film is very real, very grounded, and even despite the film's somewhat conventional arc, Brockovich exceeds in making you feel that you are right there with Erin. Throughout the movie, the costumes and sets all look and feel authentic, Erin's home looks in need of some Extreme House Makeover, and Hinkley looks like it desperately needs some rain. Even at the very beginning of the movie, the film begins with Erin, looking very much 90s but also very messy, desperately trying to get a job. After she is declined, she is shown smoking a cigarette before getting in her car to drive home, but is instead hit by another car. This introduction to the movie is important because it sets up the tone for the majority of the movie, the cars are dated, the color palette is dull, Erin is judged by her looks and limited education. All of these details support the more gloomy and real tone that in turn reflects the gloomy state of Hinkley and the lawsuit itself. Eventually the tone starts to shift when Erin and Masry start making progress which then leads in to the message of the film. Brockovich is in no way a totally feel good movie, because, no matter what, some of Hinkley's residents will suffer until the day they die because of PG&E. However, the film does present a very strong message of hope and the power of the individual. It's a message that is significant because it speaks to everyone and builds confidence. With Erin Brockovich, Soderbergh brought a legal drama that could have been overlooked, to the forefront and in doing so presents a real life "David vs Goliath" story where the "good guy" wins. It's a testament to the difference that one individual can actually make if they put their minds to it. And so, even with a couple missteps, Erin Brockovich resonates with us and gives us hope, because who doesn't like an underdog story. See more

Hagrid S Apr 27, 2018 Brilliant and interesting film with a lot of relevance for what's going on today in the US and in the wider world.

Han W Mar 28, 2018 Julia Roberts won an Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in 'Erin Brockovich' as a tough-talking law clerk in a film that is at time poignant in its message, and funny and savvy in others. See more

Harry G Mar 4, 2018 Julia Roberts is the driving force in this fine, but amazingly made biography.

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Erin Brockovich

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