Entertaining if not substantial . . .

Rating: 8/10 (20 March 2000)

It took the talent of Steven Soderbergh to pull off a successful legal drama in Hollywood. Coppola failed with The Rainmaker and Steven Zaillian failed miserably with A Civil Action. Erin Brockovich takes a similar plot outline and wins because it doesn't bore the audience with anti-climatic court room scenes. Erin Brockovich pulls on all the right strings, manipulating the audience at will. The audience is more than willing to go along for the ride as the cliches are hidden under great direction and inspired acting and the somewhat made for TV plot is given expert treatment from Soderbergh. Erin Brockovich will give Soderbergh the box office respect he deserved from Out of Sight and may land Julia her second Oscar nod.