ERIN BROCKOVICH

US, 2000, 132 minutes, Colour.
Julia Roberts, Albert Finney, Aaron Heckhardt, Marg Hellenberger, Peter Coyote.
Directed by Steven Soderbergh.

Julia Roberts has no need to prove that she is adept at light comedy. Here she tries a dramatic role and excels. She plays Erin Brockovich, a twice -divorced mother of three, who loses an accident damages claim in court and demands a job from her lawyer.

She is matched by Albert Finney in one of his best performances as Ed Masery who finds himself confounded by Erin. Finney plays well off Roberts giving the movie a tone of ironic humour. Aaron Heckhardt (who first hit the screen as the archetypal misogynist in In the Company of Men) plays a tough biker who is able to bring domestic warmth to Erin's children.

The movie was directed by Steven Soderbergh whose varied and unpredictable career has produced Sex, Lies and Videotape, King of the Hill, Out of Sight, The Limey and Traffic.

It is a David and Goliath story, parallel with 1999's A Civil Action where John Travolta plays a lawyer who reluctantly helps a community whose water has been contaminated by industrial companies and The Insider which came out at the same time, the story of the whistleblower, Jeffrey Wiggand, who exposed the tobacco industry.

Erin also discovered that she was worth something in herself and that with energy and compassion (and some aggression) she could help people, showing up the professionals whose skills were not exactly people-oriented. In that sense the movie is inspiring.

1. The reputation of the film, acclaim, Oscar-winning?

2. The real Erin Brockovich, audience knowledge about her, her work? The jokey cameo with the real Erin Brockovich appearing as the waitress, Julia, in the diner sequence?

3. The authentic atmosphere of Erin Brockovich’s world, California, ordinary suburban streets, homes, law offices? The contrast with the open road and the desert landscapes? The town of Hinkley, the homes in Hinkley, the factories? The musical score?

4. The title, the focus on Erin as a person, her mission, her being transformed personally? As portrayed by Julia Roberts?

5. Erin and the background of her early life, the beauty queen in Wichita, her several husbands, the children? The men walking out on her? Her ability to take care of the children, their love for her? The initial accident? Her going to Ed Masery, her being primed for the court, the prosecutor and his accusations, her outbursts, swearing, the reaction of the judge, the reaction of Masery? Her losing the case? Her going to Ed’s office, her anger with him? The collage of her job-seeking? The children and their support? Her having to care for them at the same time? The lack of money, the lack of food? Going to the diner? Her not eating? Her going to Ed, asking him for a job, asking him not to make her beg? His taking her on? Her coming to work, her clothes and style, the stares of the other members of the staff, their patronising her, their comments, her angers?

6. Her looking after files, the condescending explanation of how to do it? Her curiosity, starting to read, getting Ed’s permission to follow through but his not understanding this? Going to the university, the discussions about chromium and its effects? Her going to the department, getting documents? The young man and his being attracted by her, giving her the documents? Arriving back, being sacked? Her heavy reaction, her leaving? Ed and the phone call from the university, his visiting Erin’s house, her bargaining for a raise and health benefits?

7. The children, their ages, their day-by-day life, the various people looking after them? Meals and reading? George’s arrival, making the noise, his caring for the children? Her relationship with George, depending on him? His finally wanting to leave, travel? Erin and her taking the children with her, the long journeys, the fare? Matt reading the documents and beginning to understand what his mother was doing?

8. George, the biker, his charm, making noise, apologies? His asking for the number – and her sardonic list of all the numbers in her life? His looking after the kids, her initial reaction, his relationship with Erin, sharing the concern? Becoming the nanny? His growing resentment? The day at the fair, her work, interviewing, giving out information? His decision to leave? His return, going with Erin to the interview with Donna to tell her about the award?

9. Albert Finney as Ed Masery, in himself, middle age, his work, the challenge of Erin, her story and the taking on of the work? His acceptance of Erin, his discussion about her appearance – and her retort about his tie? His sacking her, the change, the effort of working together, his defence of himself and his health, his hard work? The information, the public meeting and his trying to explain the situation in the courts? Kurt and his background, Ed giving him the case, his sitting with Erin with the representatives of the company? The growing success, the end and the achievement, his ironic apology to Erin and giving her the cheque?

10. Erin and her visits to the people of Hinkley, the discussions with Donna, the focusing of her story, her beliefs? The various documents? The couple visiting her? Going to visit Pamela and her refusing, changing her mind? The collage of visits? The discussions with people, the continued journeys, her knowing all about individuals, their gradually trusting her? The meeting, her ill-health, the class action, the settlements, the implications, the angry reactions, thinking through the consequences? Erin and her relationship with Kurt, her not liking Teresa and giving her the phone numbers and the information? Her going round to get all the signatures, the six hundred-plus signatories, her ironic sex comment about them?

11. Kurt, his skills, taking over the case, Teresa as a buttoned-up lawyer, Teresa getting off on the wrong foot with Erin, her going to the farm and not wanting to get her shoes dirty, her alienating people?

12. The company officials, the meeting, Ed and his getting the members of the staff to sit as a panel? Offering the drinking water and the official refusing?

13. The man in the bar, his seeming sinister, being at the fair, his approaching Erin, thinking her was hitting on her, discovering the truth, the phone call, the supplying of the documents, the motivation because of the deaths?

14. Erin and her personality, having a chance to be respected, to achieve something, her speeches to her children, to George? Her style, clothes, glamour, swearing, straight talk?

15. The companies, the chemicals, the pollution, the consequences for the people in the town, the pay-offs for medical bills, the cover-ups?

16. Erin Brockovich’s achievement, the huge award made by the courts? Visiting Donna? Erin Brockovich’s successive career?