It's kinda like "David and whats-his-name," says Erin Brockovich about midway through the movie when it becomes apparent that she is caught up in a huge fight against one of the giants of corporate America. And yes, it is, on one level. The little guy with the sling is Erin Brockovich, who, with little education but a lot of gumption, discovers that PG&E the Goliath of the story, had poisoned the water supply of a small California town, where all the residents were sick and getting sicker. The result is that PG&E paid the residents 333 million dollars--the largest settlement ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit in the U.S.
On the surface, the story of Erin Brockovich is much like "A Civil Action" Both are based on true stories, both concern a big company poisoning the environment. But the charm of the movie Erin Brockovich is its title character. Erin is a young woman from Lawrence Kansas, home of the University of Kansas. But far from a preppy Jayhawk, Erin has no college degree--instead she has two divorces and three kids--an education in itself.
The movie is most compelling as a testimonial of the powers of the human spirit, but also as a manifesto for gender issues for the new millennium. Erin might be a poster child for Naomi Wolfe's "The Beauty Myth." She dresses in an eye-catching manner, revealing more than she hides. And if her clothes are colorful, they pale when compared to her language lexicon. Then there is the "love interest." A biker named George who offers to provide day care for Erin's kids, since he doesn't need to work. In an era when appearance is everything, Erin Brockovich comes along and flies in the face of propriety and moderation. The result is not only good entertainment, it's invigorating.
Julia Roberts is wonderful in the title role. I spoke with Erin's mother, B. J. Pattee, who lives in Lawrence, Kansas. She expressed whole-hearted approval for the movie, believing it stayed close to the truth, and captured her daughter's spirit and fire. Roberts might be good in the role, but the role is also good for her. She might be the most powerful actress on the planet, but her roles of late have been ho-hum at best. In fact, until Erin Brockovich, Roberts penchant for spoilt brat characters was becoming a tad overwhelming. Finally, here, we see Roberts in a role we can actually admire.
In short, I loved Erin Brockovich. The film is remarkably good entertainment. There's a good balance here between all the essentials--there's drama, humor, passion, and a smattering of romance. But most of all, there's a woman who, when faced with lemons, not only made lemonade, but made it well, using her own recipe. Don't miss Erin Brockovich.