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  DRAMA Sometimes the most unlikely people rise in defense of others. |
Finally at long last, let the bells ring out!!!I have finally seen a Julia Roberts picture that I really, really liked. I am not a Roberts fan and find most of her films to be just fluff. I am not enamoured of her looks either. I just can not seem to get off on her work. But ERIN BROCKOVICH has changed all that. She has finally gotten a role where she can prove that she can act and do a marvellous job. Roberts and Albert Finney just lite up the screen on this one. If you want to spend good, hard earned money on a superb 130 minute movie then ERIN BROCKOVICH is the movie to see. This film is based on a true story. The end result of the actions of Erin Brockovich and the law firm she worked for was a $333,000,000.00 settlement. This settlement was the largest ever rewarded in a direct-action lawsuit in US history. What made this movie unique was that it was not riddled with the usual Hollywood melodrama where people try to kill the lawyers or burn their houses. It was just a well acted, well scripted story, that will keep you enthralled all the way to the rewarding outcome. Julia Roberts is very different in this film. She has a dirty mouth and dresses to show off all her assets. She is a mother of three who takes very little guff but seems to be on the receiving end of bad luck. The beginning vehicle mishap attests to that fact. She is jobless and trying to take care of her three children. She is constantly on the prowl for work but things just do not seem to go her way. Finally she convinces Albert Finney, her lawyer to hire her as an office worker. She also gets lucky with her next door neighbour, an out of work biker who really enjoys taking care of her children. While filing she notices some strange medical records placed in a real estate file. She asks her boss, attorney Ed Masry (Albert Finney) if he wants her to persue the matter. A few days later she returns and bad luck strikes again. She gets fired until Ed realizes something was important in what she was doing. She negotiates her job back with benefits. Erin proceeds to describe the situation to Ed who realizes she is on to something important , a massive cover-up of contaminated water that is destroying a local community and slowly killing the residents. Erin's persistance and personal interest she takes in their lives makes the residents listen to her story. The leery citizens become involved in a class action suit because they feel she is one of them. She has this ability to remember by heart everything about them. She can recite all their phone numbers, names, important things about them all by heart. She really cares about these people and their suffering. She eventually signs up over 600 plaintiffs by going door to door. She becomes like a pit bull in gathering information against Pacific P&G. She wants to help these people receive something for their suffering. Ed and Erin with the help of a major law firm go toe to toe with this powerful utility and truimph against the odds. Erin also truimphs in proving herself and in reinventing her life while helping these citizens. Julia Roberts is backed by an excellent cast. Albert Finney is marvellous as the crusty old lawyer. Director Soderbergh assembled an excellent supporting cast. Marg Helgenberger(China Beach) shines as a victim of Pacific P&G. She is one of the worst cases. This is an ensemble film that has Roberts with excellent character actors. They all make Julia Roberts shine. The chances are good that she will be nominated again for an Academy Award(c). What makes this film so good besides the acting and the excellent script is that it all seems real, not Hollywood. I must say I certainly am glad that I went quickly to see ERIN BROCKOVICH instead of waiting like I usually do with Roberts films. Bravo to her. Money well spent and the popcorn was great as well. |
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RATING CANADA... Rated AA for language |
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vjm@metrocity.com