Which is why it’s great to see Julia Roberts in “Erin Brockovich,” released in 2000. Here’s a heavy role with so much to do, and Roberts kills every scene. Watching this movie, it’s hard to believe that just a few years ago her love life took over her career. For Roberts taking on a difficult role (both comic and serious) and making it her own.
“Erin Brockovich” is based on a true story of a small law firm that sued a utility company for contaminating the water in a local community. The story is spot-on for Hollywood: a spirited young woman with no legal experience convinces a small-time lawyer to take on a corporate giant. With his legal knowledge and her personal charm, they follow the cause of justice and rescue the lives of so many people. With a story like that, making an entertaining film wouldn’t have been difficult. However, director Steven Soderbergh pushes the movie to the edge of greatness.
The film starts with Erin, played by Roberts, in a job interview. Roberts perfectly embodies the awkward worry of applying for a position she’s not optimistic about. Later, after a personal injury lawsuit goes bad, she walks into her lawyer’s office and demands a job. Parks notes, “The brazenness is combined with a deep vulnerability that is convincing.” The lawyer, Ed Masry, in bullied into giving her a small filing position. Going through some real estate files, Erin notices that some things don’t make sense. She asks Ed if she can investigate it and he agrees, just happy to have her out of his office.
During this investigation, Erin sees that the utility company Pacific Gas & Electric has thoroughly cheated the residents of Hinkley, California. Going to each house in the small community, she persuades the residents to join the lawsuit.
The movie thankfully spends little time in the courtroom. Instead, it focuses on the difficult process of getting the case to court. This choice puts the focus exactly where it’s supposed to be – on Erin’s life and her sensitive relationship with her boss, played by Albert Finney.
It’s difficult to describe what a great job of casting Soderbergh did. Parks credited, “While picking Roberts as the sharp-witted, charismatic paralegal wasn't too much of a stretch, choosing Albert Finney as the lawyer who'd rather slouch towards retirement than take on a multi-million dollar suit is a stroke of genius. He's just wonderful as he tries to manage a woman who has no interest in being managed (their conversations about proper attire are fabulous), and his bemusement at her quick wit makes a nice counter-point to his common frustrations.” The chemistry Roberts and Finney have is the best. Early in the film, when she asks for an advance on her check, the humiliation on her face is matched perfectly by the unhappy look on his. As the movie continues, their relationship slowly grows into a friendship in a way that never feels like a lie or forced.
Hands down, the real star of the film is Julia Roberts. Combining her comic talents (Parks said, “watch her timing as she skewers various adversaries”) with a solid dramatic focus, Roberts takes an interesting character and gives it a depth few female roles succeed at. A romantic sub-plot between Erin and her biker boyfriend George, played by Aaron Eckhart, doesn’t distract from the story but focuses our attention on the other gender issues occurring through the film. The script by Susannah Grand understands the difficulty of a strong woman int eh office, especially if she dresses like a prostitute, along with the labors of a single mother who’s finally succeeded at something outside of the house. At the end of the movie, George (who’s been helping with her kids, played by Scotty Leavenworth, Gemmenne de la Peña, and Emily and Julie Marks), “See what you helped do.” That overturn of the traditional husband-wife role is strong and challenging. Soderbergh, maybe realizing that he had a blockbuster he was working on, directs “Erin Brockovich” with a more mainstream look. He removes most of his usual camera and editing methods and instead moves the film along with smooth energy. Credit to costume designer Jeffrey Kurland whose outfits for Erin add a lot to our understanding of her.
Parks admitted, “Erin Brockovich isn't a great film in the sense of being artistically ground-breaking or philosophically challenging” However, like “The Sixth Sense,” it’s a great story with amazing acting and solid direction, and best of all, it’s completely entertaining.
With great roles in “Notting Hill” and “Runaway Bride” and now “Erin Brockovich,” Roberts has not only got popular acclaim but critical too. Parks ended his review by saying, “Unless this year's female roles are considerably better than last year's, I think Julia can start making plans for the 2001 Oscars.”
This is one of the best, if not the best, role that Roberts has done. To play a real person is no easy feat, but Roberts pulls this role off perfectly. She is left-handed but had to learn how to be right-handed since Brockovich is right-handed. There is one part where she is eating soup with her left hand since she couldn’t pull that off, but otherwise, did a great job. She is not the only left-handed actor who had to learn to be right-handed for a role, but she played this role perfectly. Check it out if you haven’t, you will love it, I promise.
Look out next week where I look at another romantic comedy that Roberts did in the finale of “Julia Roberts Month.”
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