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, Albert Finney, David Brisbin

Won 1 Oscar. Another 32 wins & 59 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 (8 months)
Julie Marks	...	Beth (8 months)
Scotty Leavenworth	...	Matthew
Gemmenne de la Peña	...	Katie (as Gemmenne De la Peña)
Erin Brockovich-Ellis	...	Waitress

Storyline

Erin Brockovich-Ellis 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 law firm in one of the biggest class action lawsuits in American history against a multi-billion dollar corporation.

---

Plot Keywords:

environmental issue | contamination | working single mother | corporate crime | lawsuit | 

---

Taglines:

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

---

Genres:

Biography | Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Coincidentally, seven supporting players here went on to appear as regulars on highly successful TV series: Conchata Ferrell (Brenda) played Berta in Two and a Half Men (2003); Marg Helgenberger (Donna Jensen) played Catherine Willows in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000); Cherry Jones (Pamela Duncan) played President Allison Taylor in 24 (2001); Wade Williams (Ted Daniels) played Brad Bellick in Prison Break (2005); T.J. Thyne (David Foil) played Dr. Jack Hodgins in Bones (2005); Valente Rodriguez (Donald) played Ernesto Cardenas in George Lopez (2002); and Michael Harney played Sam Healey in Orange Is the New Black (2013).

---

Goofs

While Erin is napping on the couch and Matthew is leaving with George to get breakfast, the boom operator's reflection is visible in the television.

---

Quotes

Ed Masry: You're emotional, you're erratic. You say anything, you make this personal, and it isn't.
Erin Brockovich: Not personal? That is my work! My sweat! My time away from my kids! If that's not personal, I don't know what is.
[starts to cough]
Ed Masry: Hey, come on. Come on. Go home. Get well. Because you're no good to me sick. I need you, all right? This case needs you.

---

Crazy Credits

Erin and Ed have seven other cases pending, including one against PG&E regarding a plant in Kettleman Hills, CA.

---

Alternate Versions

In the TV version aired on NBC, it mutes the several uses of the f-word [usually changing it from f*cking to freaking, or sometimes even cutting out the line[s] of dialogue]. It also, to supposedly make up for lost time during editing, adds a scene not shown on the theatrical or home video version of the film [although it was added as a deleted scene in the DVD]: Erin goes out to her car after storming into the office and shouting at Ed. She feels still feels very sick and then faints. It lands her in the hospital where George comes to visit [explaining why George would come and take care of Erin's kids while she went to get the signatures]. Ed also comes to visit and pleads her to not make stunts like she did again. Erin apologizes and says she's coming to the town meeting, sick or not.

---

Connections

Referenced in Get Her... If You Can (2019)

---

Soundtracks

Redemption Day
Performed by Sheryl Crow
Written by Sheryl Crow
Courtesy of A&M Records
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

Two great characters, one fine film

Erin Brokovich is all about two characters: the title character, played by Julia Roberts, and Ed Masry, played by Albert Finney. Brokovich is a bold and flashy woman; given all the buzz, everyone reading this has surely already heard about her wardrobe. Masry is a talented but world-weary lawyer in a small law firm.

Roberts and Finney are both in fine form here, making the characters sympathetic and believable. The supporting cast is not as strong - none of the other characters in the film seem entirely filled-out - but that's a minor quibble.

There is a bit of a tone of moral righteousness here. After all, it is the story of a nobody going up against Big Business, not to mention the obstacles facing a single mother in the working world. But it's not overdone, and the film succeeds in getting you to root for the underdog, an always popular pastime.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 March 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Erin Brockovich

Filming Locations:

Santa Ventura Studios - 5301 North Ventura Avenue, Ventura, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$52,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$28,138,465, 19 March 2000

Gross USA:

$125,595,205

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$256,271,286

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Jersey Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

131 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS (8 channels)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1