a breath of fresh air: ***1/2 (out of ****)

Rating: Null/10 (22 April 2000)

For me, 2000 has been a dreary year for films so far. The best I've seen was "Mission to Mars," which was good, but not great. Now, after enduring the demolishing, almost painful U-571, ERIN BROCKOVICH arrives like a desperately needed antidote for poison. Meaningfull, well-balanced motion pictures like these always remind me why I love the movies. ERIN BROCKOVICH is an intelligent, wonderfully-developed legal thriller, featuring a very strong lead performance by Julia Roberts and scene-stealing work from Albert Finney, and the tone provides both humor and poignancy that I haven't witnessed since AMERICAN BEAUTY, my #1 film of 1999.
First of all, anyone who best associates Julia Roberts with crowd-pleasing, gentle romantic comedies will be absolutely shocked here. Brockovich isn't exactly the kind of character one would immediately refer to as "likable"; she clearly displays a surly manner and profane vocabulary. However, despite this, there are plenty of opportunities to connect with her, and hardly a moment is wasted. Her dialouge with Ed Masry (Finney) sparkles with electricity, even though there's no hint of sexual attraction. Of course, since the characters and their situations are engaging as presented, there's no need for that element.
One of the things I appreciated the most about ERIN BROCKOVICH was its sense of balance and realism. Often in films like these, when the main character is placed in an extraordinary situation, his/her home life is completely ignored, leaving the viewer wondering, "Does this person have a life outside of this?" Not here. One of the film's most affecting moments is Erin's realization that she missed the first word spoken by her infant child. Although her job is earning her much respect, she is away from her children for lengthy periods of time, and this puts a strain on the family relationship. Like many opportunities in life, her job is a double-edged sword, and the film never pulls any punches showing the various conflicts that arise.
What makes ERIN BROCKOVICH unique is that it traverses a different path from what one would normally expect from a legal thriller. With one small exception, Erin is not followed or stalked by shadowy figures. She does not become the target of violence or threats from terrorists (although the possibility exists). Instead, the suspense here stems from the issue of whether a modern-day David can succeed in today's legal world against Goliath, or as a character in the film puts it, "what's-his-name's whole family." Finally, in what may be the most relieving aspect in the movie, there are no huge over-the-top speeches. No big courtroom scenes. No manipulative melodrama. People who love to rant about such problems can rest easy.
This film really moves; it has zest, hilariously funny moments, unforced emotion, and a cliche-free narrative. After viewing both this and THE LIMEY, I now consider myself a fan of director Steven Soderbergh. I'm heading to my nearest Blockbuster to check out more of his movies. For everyone else, go see this movie, and don't worry about ACCESS HOLLYWOOD's hype about Julia Roberts' wardrobe-- it doesn't serve any real purpose.