John Grisham with an attitude

Rating: 8/10 (21 July 2009)

In general, legal films are either grand courtroom dramas or films about how the system has failed someone, or how it has been construed to bypass justice (which, I guess, is the same thing). "Erin Brockovich" is neither. Instead, it's about a woman who uses her personality to accomplish what many people with legal degrees cannot, and in the process, dealing a record-breaking blow to a company who cut corners and left many people very sick.
Erin Brockovich (Julia Roberts) is in a deep rut. A former beauty queen, she is nearly penniless after two failed marriages that left her with three kids, and she's unemployed. After she demands a job from an attorney named Ed Masry (Albert Finney), she uncovers a huge corporate crime almost by accident, and it turns out to be a lot bigger than she or Ed ever expected.
Julia Roberts is the perfect choice to play the title character. Roberts has made a career out of playing sunny and extroverted characters, and that quality suits her well. Erin doesn't know anything about the legal system, but she has amazing people skills, and ultimately that's what really makes the case work. The people of Hinckley don't trust the lawyers, but they trust Erin. For lack of a better analogy, she's the Moses guiding the people to the promised land.
However, Roberts has more range than she is often allowed to show. Working on the case takes a heavy toll on Erin's family life, and we see her pain from being away from her family. Some of these scenes are heartbreaking.
The supporting cast members are great as well. Albert Finney is great as Ed Masry. He's got the brains, and knows he's in over his head, but he knows that attempting to fight with Erin about taking the case is utterly pointless. They may not like each other at times, but the two make a good team. Aaron Eckhart is also good as George, Erin's boyfriend. He's the voice of reason for Erin. However, while he loves Erin, he's not going to be a doormat. There's one performance that has been overlooked, but is nonetheless effective: Scotty Leavenworth is great as Matthew, Erin's son. It is through him that we see the effect that the case has on her family, and Leavenworth perfectly illustrates that. There's no sense of artifice in his performance.
"Erin Brockovich" is filled with bit performances, and all are excellent. Hinckley's inhabitants are extremely sympathetic, and we only want the best for them. PG&E, the evil corporation, is represented by some of the nastiest people ever. They wouldn't bat an eye to the plight of Hinckly's population if they hadn't sued. They thing that the plaintiffs are worthless, and that because they are poor, they don't matter. The viewer's hatred for the greedy corporation is instantaneous. However, the film is all Roberts.
2000 was a great year for Steven Sodebergh. He came out with two hit movies ("Erin Brockovich" and "Traffic") that took the Oscars by storm. Both earned Best Picture and Best Director nominations (he won for the latter film). His skill as a director is clearly evident (he hasn't done work this good before or since). The cinematography is desert-like: bright and grainy. Hinckley is not a happy place, but the people are nice.
Although "Erin Brockovich" deals with some heavy material and contains some powerful moments, that should lead one to think that this is a depressing movie. On the contrary, there are many amusing moments, and two scenes that are laugh-out-loud hilarious. Sodebergh finds the right balance between drama and comedy (although calling the film a comedy is not necessarily truthful).
There are a few flaws, but overall, "Erin Brockovich" is a wonderful film.