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THE SKINNY
Smart, sexy, feisty and uneducated law clerk takes on a billion-dollar venomous utility company

THE BOTTOM LINE
Julia Roberts at her best in an remarkable story

THE FULL REVIEW
Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. I truly believe this. But, Roger Ebert’s review of Erin Brockovich is so off the mark that it borders on negligence.

Based on a true story, Erin Brockovich stars Julia Roberts (Runaway Bride, Flatliners, Mystic Pizza) as a blue-collar divorced mother of three, who pleads her way into a job as a law office filing clerk. Brockovich’s curiosity is piqued when she comes across some puzzling medical documents that lead her to uncover the horrible truth about a public utility, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) that has allowed toxic material to seep into the groundwater of a nearby town. After enlisting the support of her boss, Ed Masry, played by Albert Finney (Miller’s Crossing, Shoot the Moon, Tom Jones), Brockovich sets out on a determined crusade to win reparations for the more than 600 people injured in the case. [**SPOILER ALERT] Ultimately, Brockovich and Masry, with the help of a major law firm, get PG&E to settle with the plaintiffs for more than $300 million, the largest settlement ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit in U.S. history.

Mr. Ebert has bashed Erin Brockovich because he believes the story has been upstaged by the performance of Julia Roberts - and by performance, Ebert actually means her physical appearance. While Mr. Ebert states, “I know that the real Brockovich liked to dress provocatively; that’s her personal style and she’s welcome to it,” he apparently doesn’t actually feel this way. Much of Ebert’s criticism of the movie is directed at the “plunging necklines” and provocative miniskirts that Roberts wears throughout the film. Ebert even goes so far as to say that the costume design sinks the movie. Sinks the movie? Mr. Ebert, were you really so enthralled by Julia’s wonderbra-enhaced cleavage that you were unable to see the depth of this film?

Given that the real Erin Brockovich did often wear miniskirts and low-cut dresses to work (Ms. Brockovich has confirmed this herself in several recent interviews), why wouldn’t the makers of this film share that fact with the audience? Roberts plays a fiery, unrefined yet intelligent woman who has developed a take-no-crap attitude after having grown tired of being stepped on by the men in her life. The self-confidence she exhibits by dressing in such an unconventional manner and the way she so deftly capitalizes on her appearances (as the film so clearly implies she did) provide the audience with valuable insight into who Erin Brockovich is.

It’s almost as if Mr. Ebert is uncomfortable watching a movie with such a strong female character. In regards to Albert Finney’s performance, Ebert states:

“Finney is one of the most robust and powerful actors in the movies, but here, as a personal injury lawyer named Ed Masry, he comes across like an office manager at H&R Block. He’s dampened; there’s no fire in his performance.”

As if to say that Finney gave a bad performance simply because his character didn’t exhibit the same degree of overt strength as Brockovich. Ironically, I thought that Finney gave a terrific and convincing performance because he came across like an office manager at H&R Block, albeit a shrewd one. The way I saw it, Masry was nothing more than a modestly successful small time attorney until Brockovich came along and provided him with the inspiration to take a shot at the big leagues.

Contrary to what the weak link in the once venerable “At the Movies” team says, Erin Brockovich is worth the trip to your local movie theatre. Not only does it feature strong acting performances, [** SPOILER ALERT] but best of all, you won’t mind the movie’s Hollywood ending, because a heroic woman named Erin Brockovich made sure it actually happened that way.

By: Craig Ettinger