Made All the Better by Disliking Julia Roberts

Rating: Null/10 (2 April 2007)

You've seen this story before, but Steven Soderbergh pumps real life into Erin Brochovich, a movie on the verge of really breaking ground. What makes EB so worth watching is the sheer passion and cinematic ingenuity that shows up in performances, editing, camera-work, and pacing.
Soderbergh finds a great middle-ground for his characters, especially Brochovich, played by Julia Roberts, an actress I've never really liked, but liked a lot here. Roberts is so angry and skanky that you're almost unwilling to become emotionally invested in her. She is terribly damaged and hardened, unwilling to cut anyone around her much slack. Her behavior, from the incessant cursing to the whorish wardrobe, is offensive enough that her character has to earn your respect first. I really liked that, not being immediately sympathetic.
The story itself is not so much unimportant as is secondary (I know it was based on a true story, but bear with me on this) to the real power of the movie. Watching Soderbergh manipulate the physical aspects of film and sound and elicit great, flesh-and-blood performances from actors and actresses made this movie for me. I know I'm describing a heartless, policy-wonk movie, but I don't mean to.
Erin Brochovich is 180 degrees off heartless. I'm just impressed with how a tried-and-true story can be retold so effectively.
My wife loved it for the getting back at Pacific Gas and Electric and Brochovich growing into and relishing her success with the role of a respected, crusading mom who doesn't give a damn about social and fashion conventions. I appreciated those things, but it was the artistry of the tale-telling that kept me watching.
If you combine the two, you've got a helluva good movie. Erin Brochovich has been out for seven years, but if you haven't seen it, I'd strongly recommend being dazzled by it.