Based on a true story. Erin Brockovich discovers a cover-up involving contaminated water in a local community which is causing devastating illnesses among its residents.
Not only is every plot development signaled far in advance, but nearly every scene in the film's long second section rings a variation of one of two themes: 1) Julia Roberts tells somebody off, or 2) Julia Roberts feels somebody's pain.
Salon.com
January 01, 2000
From the opening to the perfect final shot, Roberts is in nearly every scene of Erin Brockovich, and there isn't a second when we're not on her side.
Julia Roberts has never been more fragile or stunning. And by oncerning itself with truthful consequences of its characters' self-sacrifices, the film succeeds as a drama as much about the passion of personal investment as the pursuit of justice.
There's really no reason this kind of conventional David-and-Goliath tale (based on a true story) should make for such a compelling motion picture, but Soderbergh and Grant smartly mix plenty of humor and unflagging inspiration into the drama.
