Erin Brockovich [Blu-ray]

I try to find older movies to watch with my daughter, I find the flashy production of more modern films a bit too much. We also enjoy real life stories, but especially for my developing young woman, I like to watch films that show strong women being true to themselves - which is harder to find that I think it should be. I love that Brockovich dresses the way *she* wants to, that she has a smart mouth without being cruel, and that she doesn't throw away everything she is accomplishing because her success makes a man uncomfortable. My daughter LOVED the movie, and I loved the bonding time. Hats off to Erin Brockovich! And well done, holding that big company to account! It's a really great story, and even better because it is true.

True story. With quite a cast. I love this movie. We have watched so many times. How the little people take on America’s giant corporation and win. Julia Roberts may have a foul mouth but I think this puts the movie in perspective and how much of her time was spent on this away from her children. All in all the town she was fighting for and winning America’s corporation gave them all money which grateful full. But could not give them back their health. A must see.The mailing was a Manila bubble envelope. One of the two clips which hold the dvd in place was broken. Very disappointed.

Yes the movie is based on fact, about 98-99% accurate except for a few very minor details, and yes it's a winner. Erin Brockovich herself helped along the way in making this, that's her as the waitress Julia serving Juila Roberts coffee in the diner. These 'public utilities' have turned into massive money-making BUSINESSES, corporations filled with greed at the expense of their customers. The real Erin Brockovich wanted Goldie Hawn to play her and was against Roberts but I doubt she regretted that decision. Finney turned the movie down at first but the chemistry between him and Julia is undeniable and really lifts this heavy film from doco to movie-theater quality. George, played here by handsome Aaron Eckhart, actually tried to extort the real Erin B, for money and lost of course. Erin may not have had luck with men in her life but she is a heck of a fighter and I love the fighting passion Roberts brings to the portrayal. Soderbergh did some great direction and the editing is wonderful as it was originally a much longer film. Highly, highly recommend.

This is on the top 10 list of my favorite movie, the main reason is that it's a true story...Julia Roberts deserved her Oscar, the entire cast was fantastic, and I think the late, greatAlbert Finney's role was his magnum opus...But most importantly, the story of a desperate down and out mother struggling to supporther children and being inspired to assist the down and out plaintiff's makes this a great storyand a movie...

I saw this film twenty years ago, during its original release. I remember its leaving me entertained yet dissatisfied. Having rewatched it last night, I still have the same reaction and am trying to sort out why."Erin Brokovich" is a raucous, profane update of Frank Capra's "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939). The fundamental premise is identical: Everyman or Everywoman—in her character's words, "a good person, a decent citizen"—is catapulted into a corrupted institution (the Senate; Pacific Gas & Electric), nearly crushed, yet prevails over seemingly insurmountable odds. Both movies are populist crowd-pleasers. Instantly we sympathize with their protagonists: amateurs, blessed with smarts, common sense, a solid sense of right from wrong, and a stubborn refusal to capitulate. If they end happily, that's one reason such movies please us: they reflect to us the best in what most of us think of ourselves or would like to be. When we cheer our surrogates, whether Jeff Smith or Erin Brokovich, we're really cheering our better selves. As long as we don't emerge naïve or arrogant, that's not a bad thing. God knows we have more than enough around us appealing to our demons. "Brokovich" is the more powerful movie. Capra's was a fable. Steven Sodenbergh's is based in fact: in 1996 PG&E was forced to pay its 650 poisoned plaintiffs $333 million in the largest toxic tort settlement in American history. (That electrical utility never learned its lesson: in 2019 PG&E, which serviced much of California, declared bankruptcy after being found liable for the wildfires of 2017 and 2018.)So why only three stars for "Erin Brokovich"? For me, the answer is Julia Roberts's performance. No doubt about it: Ms. Roberts is a talented actor who can handle drama and comedy with equal aplomb. If you love her, you'll give this movie five stars without hesitation. In dramatized biographies there's a line that is drawn, which may or may not be crossed: does the star serve the movie, or does the movie serve the star? In "Erin Brokovich" there's more than enough real-life drama to fill the movie to its brim. The producers and director went in the other direction: they created a star vehicle in which Ms. Roberts's charisma could shine. They succeeded in that endeavor—she won an Oscar for her performance—but the movie's deeper complexities suffer as a result. Yes, we are reminded that real adults and children suffered cancer by the malfeasance of corporate executives who knew what they were doing and attempted but failed in their cover-up. Yes, we are reminded that dedicated amateurs-turned-professionals force their families to make enormous sacrifices. With her low-cut tops and stiletto heels we know that the Roberts character is disarming most of those around her into divulging crucial information. Finally, however, those costumes are charming the audience into loving Julia Roberts. This is Ms. Roberts's show, from beginning to end, instead of Ms. Brokovich's. And in my view that was a miscalculation: one that prevented an entertainment from becoming a great movie.

I love this movie and have watched it many times. Erin comes from a struggling background, learns of an infraction against a small town that was deliberately deceived by a major corporation. She persists and ultimately a successful judgment is received for the residents of the town of Hinkley, California. This story for me is proof that even a small person can create a wave to overcome something corporate giants think will never happen to them.The language within the movie is strong but it fits the story. Pushy and outspoken is how Erin wades through rhetoric and legalese. I love her tenacity. At the end of the movie, though, Erin is speechless and you'll have to watch it to see why.If you haven't seen this movie I highly recommend it and watch all the interviews, deleted scenes, and director comments. Do I even have to add that Julie Roberts was so believable as Erin Brockovich. Love her as an actor. My other favorite Is Albert Finney who has a subtle wit in dealing with Erin's outbursts.

Very good film, stands up to repeat viewing. Possibly Julia Roberts' best performance, for which she won Best Actress Oscar, in the title role.Based on a true story about a single mother without legal qualifications, but with guts, determination and a larger than life character, who gets a job as an assistant at a law firm in California. She takes on a big corporation, Pacific Gas and Water, on behalf of people whose health has been irreparably damaged by the hexavalent chromium compounds released by the company into the local water supply in Hinckley, California.You can probably guess who wins this David and Goliath contest, otherwise it is unlikely they would have made a film about it. There have been other, similar films e.g. the more recent Dark Waters, based on another true story, of a lawyer fighting for local people in West Virginia poisoned by waste from the manufacture of Teflon. Without Julia Roberts' lively performance in the title role and the interesting character she plays 'Erin Brockovich' could have been just average. However, with Julia as Erin it is great. British actor Albert Finney successfully plays the American lawyer who is Erin's boss.At over 2 hours this was quite long for the cinema but that makes it good value to watch at home where you can take breaks when you wish. I bought the DVD which had a number of good bonus features including an interview with the real Erin Brockovich (some of whose character traits were probably exaggerated in the film) and several deleted scenes cut for time or flow of the story reasons, which is a pity, as they are good.My school chemistry included little about bonding in the transition elements like chromium so I regret I don't know how it can have several valencies including a valencey of 6, or why these hexavalent compounds are industrially useful but poisonous.

The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is I felt Julia Roberts acted the young protagonist showing a bit too much feisty impatience now and again - it was a bit wearing! Other than that, Julia is one of my favourite actresses and always worth seeing her movies.But the true story issue is dramatic and well worth knowing about - clearly a huge scandal at the time. That was our No.1 reason for watching the movie. Well done by all the cast to put it over so well.

The film is based on a real case and is about real people so to that ends it is obviously simple in structure, and nagging away as you watch it is the fact that the ending is never in doubt, it "is" all too predictable. However, what made Erin Brockovich the success it was is that the title character is not only interesting but also, importantly, intriguing. A foul mouthed hard bitten, twice divorced mother of three has to fight her corner just to get an honest days pay. It's a fabulous story backed up by a simply incredible performance from Julia Roberts. Here Roberts has let her hair down, puts on a push up bra and a short skirt, she is clearly enjoying the freedom of the role, and the results are real effective.I have no doubt that working alongside Albert Finney helped Roberts no ends, but it is her show all the way, and she alone masks over what really is an ordinary film, there is nothing we haven't seen before here, it's just a more modern take on the good versus evil corporate company scenario. It's steadily directed by Steven Soderbergh, emotional scenes are not overstretched to treacle point, and all in all it's good solid story telling. Repeat viewings prove to dilute the uplift factor of the finale, but Roberts' performance certainly holds firm for evermore.8/10 for the film, 10/10 for Roberts' ballsy show. If only we could have had more of these performances from her.

This is a terrific film mainly for the relationship between Erin and her boss played by Albert Finney but Julia Roberts is outstanding . That it is based on a true story makes it even better and the real Erin Brockovich has a Hitchcock style appearance in the film early on as ... well I won't spoil it if you haven't yet seen this excellent film. Incidentally I cannot agree that Harley Davidson is the best motorcycle in the World as he seems to be working on it all the time. I prefer my 'bike to go when I need it to.

I saw this film at the cinema, borrowed the DVD, watched it on telly and finally bought it for myself The more I watch it, the more I enjoy it. I like the fact that the story is based on an actual event and that the real Erin Brockovitch has a walk on part. It should inspire most people that regardless of their situation they are capable of more than they believe. It makes me grateful that there are people who investigate, investigate and still investigate to get to the truth. My favourite lines are the part where EB says' they flew the water in especially', when in a board room scene and also when she is given her cheque for work done. I found this film inspiring.