ERIN BROCKOVICH (R)
Directed by Steven Soderbergh Running Time: 130 minutes Originally Released: March 17, 2000
Reviewed by E. Benjamin Kelsey
* * * ½ (out of four)
In terms of a movie's credibility, the words "true story" or "actual events" doesn't really mean jack squat. Last year's MUSIC OF THE HEART had definite feel-good intentions and a "based on a true story" tag to back it up, but in the end, it was no better than your average work of fiction. Not every noteworthy news clipping that gets passed around your office at work is reason for a studio to pump big dollars into shooting a two-hour major motion picture and casting the highest-paid actors in Hollywood in the lead roles.
On the other hand, thank goodness for ERIN BROCKOVICH. To sound completely clichéd, yet to be completely sincere, BROCKOVICH is sure to be one of the most satisfying crowd-pleasers of the year.
Julia Roberts stars as the title character, a crass, brash, and rash single mother of three, up to her over-exposed breasts in debt, and jobless to boot. After losing a personal injury court case against an emergency room doctor (a case the audience knows is justly Erin's, but is merely her foul-mouthed word against his), Erin storms her small-time lawyer's office and demands a job. In essence, a consolation prize for a lost case.
Believe it or not, it works, and Erin immediately beings work as a file clerk for Ed Masry (Albert Finney). Erin doesn't fit in at the law office any better than she fits into her leather mini-skirts, but as everyone onscreen and off will soon learn, she is the best thing to ever happen to the firm. In the jumble of papers regarding a seemingly routine real estate transaction, Erin discovers medical records pertaining to such things as blood-cell count levels, etc., not the kinds of subjects usually dealt with in an issue of "Better Homes and Gardens". When she decides to poke around a bit more, she discovers the cover-up that would result in the largest settlement in a direct-action lawsuit in history.
More specifically, the company of Pacific Gas & Electricity is using a toxic chemical in their water that is giving nearly every family in the community some form of cancer, and now they're buying out their homes in an effort to disconnect themselves from the impropriety. What Erin discovers is over 600 plaintiffs ready to go up against a multi-billion dollar corporation.
It may sound like your typical underdog vs. the system courtroom drama, but what's so wonderful about the film is that it doesn't settle for being nothing more than "another brick in the wall" of its genre. For the plentitude of laugh-out-loud moments BROCKOVICH possesses, someone walking past the doors of the theater might expect the sharpest, most brilliant comedy in years to be playing inside, and they actually wouldn't be too far off the mark. The sharp one-liners are indeed cutting into the audience's funny bone at a constant pace, but the film can never be accused of "goofing off". As extremely enjoyable as it is on a comedic level, it is unwavering in its true intentions as a drama, in which it succeeds exquisitely.
Perhaps the most commendable aspect of BROCKOVICH is that it is so consistent in a genre easily trapped by melodrama. The underlying element of innocent people done-wrong forces the film to walk a thin line that few could balance on. Director Steven Soderbergh's competency in this department is exemplary. In a sense, he "never looks down" as he walks along that cliff. He doesn't even flinch. The perfect blend of comedy and drama, humanity and pragmatics, combine into a power bar serving up 100% of your essential cinematic vitamins and minerals. The humor keeps the melodrama even more at bay, but it's not merely comic relief.
It's an extremely smart move to keep the legal details in focus. No manipulative side trips to see a 10-year-old child choking up blood on the doorstep of death. It's something most other filmakers would've done, but not here. While we know Brockovich as a genuine human being who is in this for anything but the money, you never sense that this is meant as a lesson on how to be a decent human being. Avoiding the sentimental aspects keeps the movie fluid and strong. It's never cold-hearted in its approach to the situations faced by the victims, but it never once tries to be a tear-jerker. Too often, filmakers are going for brownie points with the audience's heart, and they bribe their way in. BROCKOVICH doesn't even try. Now that's integrity.
The fact that Julia Roberts chose to break free of her NOTTING HILL / RUNAWAY BRIDE stereotype will likely cause for premature plaudits to her performance. But forget that Roberts brought in $20 million for this picture. She was perfect, end of sentence. Truth be known, I thought she was a bit stiff in NOTTING HILL. To say this is the performance of her career may be an understatement. But none of this would be true if it weren't for Finney. He's the one that screams Oscar contender. Also, the chemistry between Roberts and Finney is of the finest ever to hit the screen. It's a vibrant depiction of detestation between two equal halves of the perfect team.
Also of note is Aaron Eckhart as Erin's neighbor/boyfriend, George, a Harley Davidson fanatic who becomes a nanny for Erin's children when her investigations become an around the clock ordeal. George is a genuinely likeable character; I was disappointed he didn't have more presence in the film. In fact, his virtual disappearance at midpoint makes for a definite loose end. Still, at least the director keeps the romantic element in its place as a subplot. Yet another example of something that could've inappropriately taken over, given the chance.
If you want more examples, there's the fact that Erin never has to play superhero. Her accomplishments are always kept real. When the case is almost stolen out from under her, a simple history lesson in cinematics will have you bracing yourself for an "Erin against the whole world" kind of turn. It never happens. In fact, there is only one element where the film undeniably makes a threat. Without saying much, Soderbergh knows how to use our expectations against us - in a very funny way.
ERIN BROCKOVICH is a people's movie, with delicate direction that allows familiar territory to be tread without feeling old. As good a piece of entertainment as it consistently is, there are moments when the film still manages to sparkle above its own quality. At more than one point, the audience's stifled applause was a tangible sensation in the room, something that was unleashed in zealousness when the film finally ended. Did I say finally? Yes, BROCKOVICH had moments of seeming long, but to be honest, it was more of an observation than an annoyance, and when I checked my watch afterward, I was surprised it had actually been as long as it was. And I'm already ready to go back.
March 11, 2000
The review above was posted to the
rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup (de.rec.film.kritiken for German reviews).
The Internet Movie Database accepts no responsibility for the contents of the
review and has no editorial control. Unless stated otherwise, the copyright
belongs to the author.
Please direct comments/criticisms of the review to relevant newsgroups.
Broken URLs inthe reviews are the responsibility of the author.
The formatting of the review is likely to differ from the original due
to ASCII to HTML conversion.
Related links: index of all rec.arts.movies.reviews reviews