Julia Roberts may not be a great actress, but she is a genuine star, a presence that captivates an audience. Likewise, "Erin Brockovich" may not be a great drama, but it is a first-rate button-pusher, a contemporary David and Goliath story guaranteed to get viewers cheering. Put Julia and "Erin" together, and you've got a movie to reckon with.
"Erin" comes from a most unlikely source, director Steven Soderbergh, whose interests tend to run to either crime dramas ("Out of Sight," "The Limey") or semi-arty explorations of human psychology ("sex, lies and videotape," "King of the Hill"). But despite having Roberts in the leading role, "Erin" doesn't represent Soderbergh selling out. Quite the contrary, in fact, since the film is full of Soderbergh's trademark jump-cuts, hand-held camera shots and utterly off-the-wall humor.
Best of all, "Erin" represents that rare mainstream Hollywood crowdpleaser with substance as well as style. Susannah Grant's snappy screenplay lays out the saga of Brockovich (Roberts), a twice-divorced mother of three with a smart mouth, marginal work experience, and a clinging, cleavage-revealing wardrobe she apparently picked up at Samantha Fox's garage sale.
Yet somehow Erin manages to land a position as a clerk in the law offices of Ed Masry (Albert Finney), and when some suspicious documents in real estate files arouse her curiosity, Erin gets permission to investigate. Her research eventually pits Masry's tiny practice against Pacific Gas and Electric, a $28 billion monster that doesn't want its dirty laundry hung out in public.
The plot conjures up memories of "The China Syndrome" and "Norma Rae," in which Jane Fonda and Sally Field respectively locked horns with callous corporations that put profit and public relations ahead of safety. But with its bold, ill-tempered central figure, "Erin Brockovich" is actually closer to the story of Karen Silkwood, another working-class woman who became a most unlikely crusader for justice.
However, in contrast to director Mike Nichols' deliberately paced 1983 film "Silkwood," "Erin" moves at the same speed as its no-nonsense heroine, brought winningly to life by a surprisingly sassy Roberts. She's just plain wonderful in the role, whether clashing with her boss, flirting with her neighbor/babysitter George (Aaron Eckhart) or bombarding highfalutin lawyers with the details of her work. While Erin's salty tongue and borderline-slutty clothing initially provoke laughs, Roberts slowly turns this prickly woman into someone we can admire and root for.
Her run-ins with Masry are particularly amusing, as she bulldozes her way through the legal process and fends off those who want to take over her project. "Excuse me for not going to law school," the tempestuous Erin snaps. "Law school?" Masry replies. "At this point, I'd settle for charm school!"
Finney, who's kept a fairly low profile recently, is also fine and often funny as he tries without much success to rein in this hellion in a halter top, and while Eckhart ("In the Company of Men") seems a wee bit uncomfortable in grease-stained biker garb, he and Roberts trade zingers quite well. The supporting cast is also ripe with top-flight character actors, including Cherry Jones as a strong-willed woman who's unsure of Erin's motives, Tracey Walter as a creepy stalker and Conchata Farrell as an envious office manager who delights in giving Erin a hard time.
Admittedly, there's a certain degree of calculation in Grant's script, especially when Erin tangles with the sharp-dressed lawyers for hire Masry brings on board to help build the case. But the dialogue is funny enough and the acting so on-target, it's hard to complain. "Erin Brockovich" was designed to be a crowdpleaser, and that's exactly what it is. No apologies are necessary. James Sanford
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