Erin the savior.

Rating: 8/10 (21 March 2000)

Director Steve Soderbergh is now three for three on directing both excellent and critical acclaim films, three years in a row! First was his very witty and super hip 1998 hit, OUT OF SIGHT with George Clooney, and Jennifer Lopez (before she wanted to sing full-time). Then last year was the stylish and dark THE LIMEY with Terrance Stamp in a role that was at least Oscar worthy of a nomination. Now there is his newest film, a film that isn't as stylish or as hip as the previous two, but it's still a darn great movie. Soderbergh's newest film is ERIN BROCKOVICH, which is based on a true story. The real life story has the title character (Julia Roberts) who is a single mother of three, who is looking for a job. Erin will lie during her interview or anything, just so she can take care of her children. Erin then goes to her attorney, Ed Masry (Albert Finney), who eariler represented her in a car accident case, and begs for a job. Ed decides to give Erin a job and wants her to investigate a pro-bono case on a small California town called Hinkley who filed a lawsuit against the Pacific Gas & Electric company for contaminating the town's water supply and are aware of it. It's so sad that the town's people are getting tumors, degenerative organs, and other freak symptoms; and the company tells the town citizens that everything is all right and the chemicals that they put in the water are suppose to "help" the town. Well, Erin decides to investigate this problem, and becomes friends with many of the residents of Hinkley, including Donna Jensen (Marg Helgenberger) who is suffering from breast cancer, due to the posioning of the water. Meanwhile, Erin stirkes up a romantic relationship with a biker who just moved in next door named George, (Aaron Eckhart). While Erin is looking for the truth with what is going on in Hinkley, George becomes the caretaker of the children, and isn't quite happy about it. And also, Erin has problems of her own when Ed Masry hires a couple of high priced attorneys, Kurt Potter (Peter Coyote) and Theresa Dallevale (Veanne Cox) to take over the case of the lawsuit against Pacific Gas & Electric. Before you begin to shout, "this sounds like A CIVIL ACTION or SILKWOOK," well it isn't. This is more of a movie that focuses in depth of one woman's crusade to reveal the truth, and go up against powerful attorneys, and a powerful company. ERIN shows what a hard working mother has to go through to raise a family single handed and try to do well in her job. In one touching scene, Erin is in tears as her boyfriend tells her over her cell phone that her youngest child started to say her first words. But Erin missed it, since she's devoting her time with her work on Hinkley. I was very impressed with Julia Roberts performance in ERIN BROCKOVICH. She isn't much of that "cute girl next door" role that she is known for like in RUNAWAY BRIDE or PRETTY WOMAN. Instead, she's vulgar, loud, and pushy, but also caring, committed, and heartfelt. This film proves that Juila Roberts is a actress who is willing to take any role that she is given, and I think she should do more great serious acting roles like this one. People and critcs who also see Roberts wearing short and skin-tight clothes, only see this film skin deep. I was also enjoying the performance of Albert Finney, who I was very glad to see in a major film role. Finney plays Ed very well, at times a boorish old man, at other times, a man who like Erin can be caring and have a heart. Finney is also funny at times with his facial reactions to Erin's smart aleck remarks on his legal decisions and his own comments to Erin's comments. It's hard to believe that this is the same man who played TOM JONES thirty-seven years ago. ERIN is a very well done film, in it's own way. While SILKWOOD focused on revealing the truth, A CIVIL ACTION focused on the legal sense, ERIN focuses on what it takes to get the truth out in the open. The pacing of the film is fast paced and entertaining (even for a film that is 131 mins.), the acting is great, and the story is very inspiring. With such films as this one, and THE INSIDER, one wonders on how these big and powerful companies can get away with this illegal activity without being revealed. Until then, the truth is out there, and it's on the local cinema. ****1/2 (out of five)