Erin Brockovich 3 Stars (Out of 4) Reviewed by Mac VerStandig Critic@moviereviews.org http://www.moviereviews.org March 15, 2000 USA Release Date - March 17, 2000
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There is something about Erin Brockovich that makes it virtually impossible for the film not to please. Perhaps it is Julia Roberts' overflowing cleavage, perfectly round nostrils or famously plump lips that have made her the quintessential movie star of our time. Perhaps it is director Steven Soderbergh's deft guidance and meticulous attention to reality. Perhaps it is the compelling story that demands the audience's respect with its early claim of truth.
`I'm great with people' begs a desperate Erin Brockovich (Julia Roberts) in a job interview. She doesn't get the position. But that's nothing new; this 30-something super mom has grown accustomed to raising her three youngsters while trying to simultaneously shield their eyes from her $16 bank account. So when from out of nowhere a speeding doctor's high-priced Jaguar strikes her car, a lawsuit looks to be the answer to her problems.
Brockovich is ridiculed on the stand as her unemployment and two failed marriages are brought to light and the jury is convinced she's an irresponsible woman trying to sucker a good and honest doctor out of his money. But fate works in mysterious ways and soon Brockovich has a job . . . working for the lawyer who lost her case.
Erin Brockovich isn't so much about the life of the woman's name it shares as the thrilling legal battle that she wages working for the aforementioned attorney. In filing some papers for a pro-bono real estate case, she stumbles onto oddities that lead her to investigate mass contamination in a small community's water supply and the multi-billion-dollar corporation that is trying to cover it up.
The movie's only substantial flaw is that rather than dedicating all of its time to the intriguing lawsuit, a fair amount of attention is given to Brockovich's personal life and the old-fashioned cliché of her being married to her job and putting her family second. The film simply doesn't need these scenes. There is already an emotional angle as Brockovich becomes sympathetic and friendly to the sick and dying families that have had their life ruined by the local water supply (she even professes to know all 600 of their phone numbers by heart). The most enjoyable scenes of the movie take place in a back office where strategies are discussed and a conference room where settlements are negotiated - not the bedroom where her kids complain about her not being home for dinner.
Erin Brockovich has the potential to be a major Oscar candidate as its style plays to the Academy's liking. What doesn't, however, is the release date. Oscar voters traditionally love true stories like Quiz Show, A Civil Action and, more recently, The Hurricane as well as brilliant lead female performances like the one Roberts turns in. But the Academy's memory is notoriously non-existent so a March release normally means a shutout on Oscar night.
For Steven Soderbergh this might be his best work to date. Having previously overseen sex, lies, and videotape, Out of Sight and, more recently, The Limey, all to critical acclaim, the director seems more confident than ever in his ninth film. Other than Roberts and teh notable Albert Finney, Soderbergh had no major actors to work with but still manages to get mighty performances out of his supporting cast while still keeping an appropriately bright spotlight on his diva star.
America seems to be very interested in its own laws and how they are upheld. John Grisham's books fly off the shelves, O. J. captivated television audiences for over a year and Rodney King sparked riots. America is equally fond of grade-A crowd-pleasing movies with the local cinema being a key part of our culture. Erin Brockovich is the perfect combination of both.
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