Strong performance by Roberts disguises formulaic plot (spoilers)

Rating: Null/10 (19 December 2003)

"Erin Brockovich" is based on the true story of a single mother of three who successfully brought a civil action against a corporate firm guilty of poisoning the water of a small-town community. Despite a formulaic plot and gathering of near-stereotypical supporting characters, the film succeeds through a good mix of comedy and drama.
The film opens with Erin Brockovich (Julia Roberts) unsuccessfully trying to get a job at a hospital before breaking her neck in a car accident. After failing to get compensation, she bullies her lawyer Ed Masry (Albert Finney) into taking her on as an assistant at his firm. Whilst there, she discover some alarming evidence about a gas and electrics company, poisoned water and the illness-stricken residents the backwater village...
Technically, the film works using early Nineties songs to liven up moments where Erin is investigating and enhances the mundane, everyday feel of the picture. The film is also well-edited, making alot of the scientific and legal jargon simple and digestible. It is never unclear to the attentive viewer exactly what is going on and why.
Performances are excellent. Julia Roberts deservedly won an Oscar for her winning portrayal of Erin: she's sarcastic, no-nonsense but not unsympathetic. There are times when she plays character as a little too nasty to the point where she nearly loses audience empathy. She's balanced out by Albert Finney as her harassed but honest boss who's not afraid to put her in her place from time to time. Aaron Eckhardt turns in a fine performance as Erin's loyal but neglected biker boyfriend. The interaction between these three characters forms the movie's core.
It is in the script and story that "Erin Brockovich" very nearly falls down. Beyond the three central characters, no character is given any degree of depth and come very close to stereotyping on several occasions. The people Erin helps out are honest but helpless victims; the corporation she's up against composed of and aided by greedy or inhuman opportunists and the lawyers who eventually help Erin and Ed are played as patronising and cynical. It is an interesting but unambiguous stock of characters.
There are currently allegations surfacing that the real Erin and Ed actually duped the Hinkley residents and the water was not as poisonous as was claimed in the case. This has created an ambiguity around Erin Brockovich that would have been interesting to explore in the movie.
Nevertheless, if you enjoy a good people-power flick, or want an example of some fine acting and drama, you could do a hell of a lot worse than this.