Erin Brockovich (2000)

An unemployed single mother becomes a legal assistant and almost single-handedly brings down a California power company accused of polluting a city's water supply.

Director:

Steven Soderbergh

Writer:

Susannah Grant

Stars:

Julia Roberts, David Brisbin, Dawn Didawick

Won 1 Oscar. Another 34 wins & 43 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Julia Roberts	...	Erin Brockovich
David Brisbin	...	Dr. Jaffe
Dawn Didawick	...	Rosalind
Albert Finney	...	Ed Masry
Valente Rodriguez	...	Donald
Conchata Ferrell	...	Brenda
George Rocky Sullivan	...	Los Angeles Judge
Pat Skipper	...	Defending Lawyer
Jack Gill	...	Defendant
Irene Olga López	...	Mrs. Morales
Emily Marks	...	Beth Brockovich - 8 Months
Julie Marks	...	Beth Brockovich - 8 Months
Scotty Leavenworth	...	Matthew Brockovich
Gemmenne de la Peña	...	Katie Brockovich (as Gemmenne De la Peña)
Erin Brockovich-Ellis	...	Julia, the Waitress

Storyline

Erin Brockovich is an unemployed single mother, desperate to find a job, but is having no luck. This losing streak even extends to a failed lawsuit against a doctor in a car accident she was in. With no alternative, she successfully browbeats her lawyer to give her a job in compensation for the loss. While no one takes her seriously, with her trashy clothes and earthy manners, that soon changes when she begins to investigate a suspicious real estate case involving the Pacific Gas & Electric Company. What she discovers is that the company is trying quietly to buy land that was contaminated by hexavalent chromium, a deadly toxic waste that the company is improperly and illegally dumping and, in turn, poisoning the residents in the area. As she digs deeper, Erin finds herself leading point in a series of events that would involve her lawfirm in one of the biggest class action lawsuits in American history against a multi-billion dollar corporation.

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Plot Keywords:

lawsuit | single mother | hexavalent chromium | doctor | water | 

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Taglines:

She brought a small town to its feet and a huge corporation to its knees.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 March 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Erin Brockovich - Forte come la verità

Filming Locations:

Santa Ventura Studios, Ventura, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$52,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,609,930 (UK) (7 April 2000)

Gross:

$125,548,685 (USA) (4 August 2000)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jersey Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

131 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS (8 channels)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Coincidentally, five supporting players here went on to appear as regulars on highly successful TV series: Conchata Ferrell (legal secretary) played Berta in Two and a Half Men, Marg Helgenberger (plaintiff) played Catherine Willows in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Cherry Jones (plaintiff) played President Allison Taylor in 24 Wade Williams (plaintiff) played Brad Bellick in Prison Break and T.J. Thyne (David Foil) played Dr. Jack Hodgins in Bones.

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Goofs

When Erin and George are apparently sorting the cards back into separate decks, neither one of them looks at the faces of the cards because both are holding the cards face down. This means what they are doing is pointless, they are really just separating the cards into four random piles.

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Quotes

Ed Masry: [after a meeting with a PG&E representative] Didn't you hear? They have $28 billion at their disposal!
Erin Brockovich: So?
Ed Masry: You think I'm MADE of money?
Erin Brockovich: What are you yelling at me for?
Ed Masry: Because I'm pissed off!
Erin Brockovich: Good!
Ed Masry: [throws down tie] Fuck you!
Erin Brockovich: Fuck you back!
Ed Masry: [starts laughing] I really hate you sometimes, I really do.
Erin Brockovich: Aww, you love me.

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Crazy Credits

"The Young and the Restless" (1973)_ and "Wheel of Fortune"_ (1975): Courtesy of Columbia TriStar Television.

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Connections

Referenced in The Mangler 2 (2002)

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Soundtracks

"Everyday Is a Winding Road"
(end credits)
Performed by Sheryl Crow
Written by Sheryl Crow, Brian MacLeod and Jeffrey Trott (as Jeff Trott)
Courtesy of A&M Records
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

a definite winner, uplift, social conscience, and knockout acting

Steven Soderbergh's Erin Brockovich is exactly the uplift picture you've always hoped for. strong acting, moving script, important issues, legitimate procedurals and best of all it is scrupulously faithful to its true story. Struggling outspoken single mom, Erin (the Oscar winning performance by Julie Roberts proving irrevocably that she is more than just tits and teeth), gets on with a law firm run by Ed Masry (Albert Finney in a justifiably nominated supporting role)just in time to break open the biggest direct action corporate lawsuit in american history. it is not a simple magic act either. Erin's got her character flaws (many of which are visited on supportive biker boyfriend George, played by Aaron Eckhart) and the lawsuit is immensely complicated, though Screenwriter Susannah Grant's nominated script keeps it all in focus and understandable. It's the kind of story we can all learn a lot from. Erin works her tail off, polishes her own too harsh rough edges and ultimately wins a richly deserved reward (just the film itself was so amply rewarded.)It's a story that inspires americans to believe in the system and fight against corporate injustice on their own personal level. It's the kind of thing that shows each and every person can make a big difference. everybody should be proud of soderbergh for realizing what a huge hero Erin Brockovich is and for bringing her struggles and triumphs to the screen.