Hooray for Hollywood!

Rating: Null/10 (1 May 2000)

Why can't we get more films like this, a strong story, based on actual events, excellent performances and dialogue which sounds like it is based on how real people talk to each other?
I don't know how accurate this particular story about corporate deceit and environmental pollution is but, given the track record of big corporations, it should be a rich vein for film makers to mine. 'Erin Brockovich' is very good, a shocking story of land pollution and resultant death and disease in a community. A story, however, which would not have been told were it not for the efforts of one woman to get behind the obfuscation and at the truth. It's a juicy role and Julia Roberts grabs it for all she is worth, she is superb, full of anger and determination to use the opportunity to make something of her life. This is the strength of her performance, she convinces in showing us a woman in challenging circumstances, on her own with no job and kids to feed who is actually a bold and intelligent woman rather than a victim. There is a real hunger about how she works her socks off to put the case together while trying to balance her other responsibilities.
There are good performances all round and some of the dialogue really crackles, seeing some corporate lawyers put in their place is particularly satisfying. A film well worth seeing and one that is more subtle than it might at first appear.