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Erin Brockovich (2000) Universal Pictures 2 hrs. 12 mins. Starring: Julia Roberts, Albert Finney, Aaron Eckhart and Marg Helgenberger Music by: Thomas Newman Directed by: Steven Soderbergh 
Erin Brockovich Rating:  
E-MAIL GIANCARLO DE LISI How hard is it to transcend to the screen a true story with political and personal elements that could be easily attacked into an enjoyable feature length film? Extremely hard. Many of Hollywood’s premiere directors would agree that it is no easy task. Making sure the minutest detail is accurate in a film is a task that many filmmakers deem irrefutable to handle. Norman Jewison encountered this problem on his film ‘The Hurricane’ and it seemed as if it put a dent on the film’s credibility and it’s Oscar chances. The film was later practically shunned from the Nominations. Yet, Steven Soderbergh makes it look so easy in his film ‘Erin Brockovich’. Soderbergh seems to pick up steam with his style and grace in which he captures the essence of film’s essential elements to create and sculpt a great picture. “Erin Brockovich” stars Julia Roberts as a tough talking, tight-shirt wearing single mom who takes a job at a local law firm and uncovers a colossal secret concerning a nearby town’s water supply and its fatal impacts on the townspeople. The script is simple, and it allows for a healthy mix of subtle comedy, intimate dramatic scenes, and tense encounters; one example is when the water plant, Pacific Company and Gas attempts to make a settlement through one of their lawyers meeting with Brockovich and Masry that results in the war simply starting. The film also intimately expands upon a relationship Roberts’ character has with a neighbor (Aaron Heckart). The movie moves gracefully and is thoroughly enjoyable due to a great coupling of talents. First and foremost, Soderbergh is a magician when it comes to film. He has taken such a simple premise and brought forth a 132-minute journey of inspiration and satisfaction. In addition, he has an excellent cast that almost steals the spotlight from Roberts. But she is magnanimously astounding in this film as she carries this film from beginning to end. Her credibility as a single mom who makes you feel her pain is what makes this film so great. Soderbergh covers her seesaw of life, as she must balance three children, her obsession with this case and her problems with her new boyfriend all culminate in a fantastically well-done film that will indeed invoke a sense of appreciation for this kind of bravura filmmaking. Albert Finney also co-stars as Roberts’ boss, lawyer Ed Masry who is exceptional at his part as the conniving yet sympathetic lawyer who gains interest in the case as it develops into a winner. Ultimately this movie is a winner. Watch for Roberts pick up her Best Actress Oscar for this role. She is truly phenomenal. As far as Soderbergh goes, he is a likely candidate for Best Director. This film is a collective achievement on all aspects of the film. Even Thomas Newman’s score disseminates a certain aura of grief and sorrow over the townspeople who are dying over the polluted water. The casting is magnificent, the acting superb and the direction impeccable. A film of this caliber has not reached Hollywood in a while. Surely, this theme was also tackled in John Travolta’s “A Civil Action”, but that film ranks nowhere near as great as this achievement in filmmaking. On a final note, if one thinks I am praising this film a bit too much - watch it first and then decide. It is incredible how Soderbergh takes the courtroom out of the courtroom-drama. The film’s premise revolves around the case and Brockovich simultaneously, resulting in a flawless piece of work that is not dumbed down by any boring and pretentious courtroom scenes. And pay attention to a scene midway near the film where one of the townspeople who lives right across from the water plant simply picks up rocks and starts furiously throwing them at the plant. The scene is beautifully shot with a brown colour palette in the background indicating sundown, but perhaps symbolically indicating all hope being lost for a settlement as his family is constantly in and out of the hospital due to the water contamination. That one scene embodies how much of an achievement this film really is. An excellent picture that truly makes us understand and appreciated what exactly we have. Click here to comment on this review or post your own thoughts. Giancarlo De Lisi © TheWorldJournal.com |
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