Erin Brockovich, Movie Review Example

The movie ‘Erin Brockovich” (2000) by Steven Soderbergh is based on a true story. It tells about the drama of Erin Brockovich’s struggle against the American West Coast energy giant Pacific Gas and Electric Company known as PG&E. The lead character is performed by celebrated Julia Roberts, who has eventually won the Academy Award for Best Actress for this very role.

Erin Brockovich (Julia Roberts) is a down-on-her-luck single mother of three who has obvious problems with finding a job. After having a car incident and losing a personal injury lawsuit on the occasion, she makes her lawyer Edward L. Masry (Albert Finney) employ her as a file clerk in his office. Eventually she runs across some rather neglected documents concerning a pro bono case against PG&E. Being interested by the real-estate and medical records involved in the files on the case, she commences her own investigation.

The research leads to her finding out that the industrial poisoning by Hexavalent Chromium of the town of Hinkley’s water stocks which presents a great danger for the health of an entire community has been into operation for many years now. She also discovers that PG&E Company is the one answerable for the variety of diseases inhabitants of Hinkley have been diagnosed with. Being outraged by the scandalous practices of the powerful company and by the overall attempts to prevent the public from discovering the truth, Erin starts a passionate fight aimed at bringing the guilty ones to justice. In 1993 she persuaded some 650 prospective plaintiffs from the small desert town of Hinkley, California, to sue Pacific Gas & Electric Company. Surprisingly, her research eventually results in a 333 million dollar settlement with PG&E.

First of all, I need to say that the movie is really great. Julia Roberts is brilliant in her performance. It is hard o remain indifferent to her passionate, stubborn, self-confident, steadfast and straightforward heroine. Being hardened by life difficulties she has experienced through life, being responsible for bringing up three little kids, being deprived of any support from the surrounding environment she is determined to survive and live a life of success. She is absolutely amazing, and Julia Robert’s performing the character is extremely believable. Actress’s representation of Brockovich is rough, natural and daring, with her feelings being strong and natural, but not fully controlled. Emotionally, she is dominated by the states from clever and controlling vamp and brutal harpy to compassionate, understanding friend and resentful fighter. What I like most about this movie is how Julia Robert’s character achieves wanted results when others can’t. Not being really professional, obviously lacking meekness and mildness, she manages to find the most appropriate way of communication with people.

In spite of being short of the formal law school education, today Erin Brockovich-Ellis is an American legal clerk and environmental activist. She is at the head of a consulting firm “Brockovich Research & Consulting”. She is also presently working as a expert for the New York law firm Weitz & Luxenberg, being concentrated on personal injury claims for asbestos exposure. Since the release of the movie that reveals her story and bears her name, she has introduced the television programs “Challenge America with Erin Brockovich” on ABC and “Final Justice” on Lifetime. Movie production has positioned her as a worldwide known heroine, and also provided her with unquestionable authority in the sphere of law consulting. Erin herself mentions: “From the exposure of the movie, I became a reluctant public figure. Over time, I realized I could use my notoriety to spread positive messages of personal empowerment and for me to encourage people to stand up and make a difference” (Erin Brockovich, 2009).

No need to say, the real story is much less fantastic. Even though the general facts mentioned in the movie are mostly historically accurate, there are a number of contentious and dubious issues more important to the case. The movie is screened after the true story, which has naturally resulted into some criticism. There are people dissatisfied and discontented with how the story ended and what the actual case resulted in. One of the plaintiffs Carol Smith states that “the movie is mostly lies”. “I wish the truth would come out because a lot of us are upset. I understand the movie is going to make Erin and the attorneys out to be heroes. …But where’s the rest of our money?” he says (ChasingtheFrog.com, 2000).

Professional writer Michael Fumento who is both a journalist and an attorney dedicating himself to science and health issues, has spearheaded the apprehensions concerning the validity of the movie. Mr. Fumento is mostly concerned with the chemical Chromium-6. He argues that there is no critical evidence confirming the fact that Chromium-6 is the true cause of the diversity of the disorders suffered by the people of Hinkley. “The problem, alas, comes with the claim to be “based on a true story” of little guys who beat the system. In fact, the lithe Miss Brockovich and her law firm made out like fat rats by exploiting both the system and their clients. Universal and Columbia pictures then exploited the exploitation” Fumento states (2000).

However, the case is the one of the past, and even if real Erin Brockovich is not as charming and bright as the one performed by Julia Robert’s, even if her true intentions were not as noble as the movie proposes, and even if the whole case was much less clear than what the moviemakers make it look like, the whole story is great and gripping anyway. I enjoyed watching the film and will surely love to watch it again one day.

References

ChasingtheFrog.com. (2000). Erin Brockovich: Questioning the Story. Retrieved May 13, 2009, from http://www.chasingthefrog.com/reelfaces/brockovich.php

Erin Brockovich. (2009, May 13). Erin Brockovich Biography. Retrieved May 13, 2009, from http://www.brockovich.com/bio.htm

Fumento, Michael. (2000, March 29). The Dark Side of Erin Brockovich. The National Post.