Erin Brockovich

Review posted on 22 February 2006 by Alice Curteis, World-wise reviewer

Erin Brockovich is an accessible, entertaining true story about a twice-divorced mother of three young children who sees an injustice, takes on the bad guy and wins.

Brockovich (played by Julia Roberts) is working in the offices of an uninspiring law firm run by Ed Masry (Albert Finney) and comes across files referring to the negligent pollution of the area by a big power company - local residents claim that the company spilled toxic waste has contaminated their water supply.

Her personal life is chaotic and troubled; her working life has not been helped by her lack of qualifications and her tendency to lose jobs as soon as she gets them. But she gets to grips with the issues, becomes an unlikely expert in toxicology and corporate law, and fights through to a somewhat predictably successful ending.

Erin Brockovich was very well received when on general release, thanks to the pacy direction of Steven Soderbergh and sparky teamwork of Roberts and Finney, whether working with or against each other.

Rating: 4/5