Pretty good, would recommend to watch once, but not something to obsess over.

Rating: 7/10 (1 June 2016)

Although filmed sixteen years ago, Erin Brockovich (Julia Roberts) was and is the modern day "badass" persona that every woman secretly has dwelling inside of her. No filter for her language or sense of professional style, Erin is headstrong, determined, self-motivated, and frankly could not care less about the opinions of others. Based on a true story, I would give the film 3.5 stars and describe it as a drama comedy. Set in Los Angles and Hickley, California, Erin serves as both an inspiration and real life story of the American dream, motivating the viewers that with passion and hard work, anything can be achieved. Erin's cry for financial desperation and her unique sense of humor is portrayed in the opening scene of the film where she is applying to a medical job that she clearly has no experience in, but this shows how much Erin is unafraid of rejection and humiliation. Erin's strong confidence stems from her ability to have raised three children without the support of a man, and it is her confidence that allows her to poke her nose where most people wouldn't dare to. Erin's life is shown as a plummeting spiral that one can do nothing but empathize with or simply laugh at- Erin has no income, three young children, no money in her bank account, a neck brace, and an attitude that has got her nothing but trouble. Simple activities like feeding her children or even just being in the house are over intensified because Erin is so dissatisfied with her life. Erin finally lands a job in Ed Masry's (Albert Finney) office, which is the first positive change in her soon to be completely different life. She seems out of place and disliked, but that doesn't stop her from earning her place of respect. Erin's relationship with Masry turns from disgust and hatred to a fulfilling, meaningful friendship while also being business partners.
Erin's stance for her originality and blunt difference from the other personas in the movie is what makes her such a fascinating protagonist. Even when Masry asks her to rethink her wardrobe, Erin shoots back at him with "maybe you should rethink your ties." A love interest occurs, like in all Hollywood dramas, but her boldness aids her in shooting down the bearded biker neighbor by the name of George (Aaron Eckhart) that would like to be more than just neighbors, even though love is the last thing on Erin's mind. Her bluntness is what makes her such an attention grabber and has people listen to what she has to say even though she has no formal professional schooling and acts far from how an employee would act in a law firm.
Erin stumbles upon the records of Donna Jensen, who lives in Hinkley, and is perplexed as to why Donna's medical records are included in her real estate files. Finding this odd and unsettling, Erin takes this task into her own hands. Erin's personal search for Donna turns into something more than just completing her regular reception job, it becomes a passionate obsession that Erin is determined to get to the bottom of. Erin sets out to determine the significance and relevance of the medical records that were correlated with other real estate files. It's not obvious what exactly ignited the passion and concern in Erin to set out on her own to investigate these random real estate files, but this curiosity begins a long journey to attempt to provide justice to the residence of a small town in Hinkley, California. With the help of her wit and feminine beauty, Erin is able to dig through the water records of a notorious company by the name of PG & E, which may have something to do with the health of the residences surrounding the town of Hickley.
As Erin's care for the families of Hickley grows deeper, her own personal life becomes more significant, fulfilling, and mature. Erin develops a deep and true care for the lives and well being of these people, no longer for a need of financial desperation, but for a need to do good unto others that have been unluckily touched by the illegal doings of big money companies. Erin gets to know the residences of Hickley on a far personal level and induces pathos in the audience. The film is not a full five star rating because although it's interesting it is just not a film that I would re-watch years from now or highly recommend to a friend. Although, it does accurately depict and raise awareness to the true events that happened in Hickley, there were many parts that caused me to be disengaged. Overall, the film is much more dramatic than the average documentary but allows the audience to be inspired by the determination of Erin Brockovich to do what's right while also improving her life.