Erin Brockovich (2000)

This is a fantastic movie, and easy viewing for me, it is one of my favourites, I don't know how many times I have watched this movie. I have enjoyed this movie every single time I have watched it, it is just such a superbly written script, character and movie. At this stage, in my opinion, this movie is just a classic, with one of the greatest cinematic performances ever put to screen.

For those who don't know about or haven't seen this movie, shame on you!

Erin Brockovich is a biographical film directed by Steven Soderbergh which is a dramatization of the true story of a down and out former beauty queen Erin Brockovich, portrayed by Julia Roberts, who in sheer desperation and a tenacity of spirit fought for a job at a small law firm and successfully lead them into battle against the energy corporation Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).

Cue my love affair with Julia Roberts, ever since my first trip to Greece on Olympic Airways, where Pretty Woman was the return in-flight movie, I have had a crush on this here actress. She has been nominated for a couple of Oscars, but has never been more deserving of the award than in this performance, which was a career defining moment for the actress as it was most probably her most successful attempt (so far into her career) to transition into a serious actress, and it was a role and character which she successfully embodied - it really was Julia's year and she ultimately dominated the awards season that year.

Apart from the Julia Roberts factor, there is the inspiration which is Erin Brockovich - the human being on whom the movie is based is a woman whose tale deserves to be told, overcoming the odds and the hand that life had dealt her to become a champion and voice for those who did not know they even needed one. She has a cameo in the movie (as the waitress who serves her on screen counterpart and kids when they go out for dinner) and all I can say about that, and I say it because I noticed it, is how much she looks like Felicity Huffman - don't know if Desperate Housewives was out at the time, but Felicity could have also taken on this role, lucky for Julia.

But this vehicle doesn't just rely on Julia Roberts for it's success, there is a certain Oscar nominated performance by Mr Albert Finney in this movie as Julia's suffering boss Edward L. Masry which is just as entertaining, especially when the two square off as boss and nightmare employee of his dreams.

This Best Picture nominated movie is so well crafted, and the characters so well developed, that despite the heavy subject matter you are at all times entertained by the sharp-witted and sharp-tongued dialogue and scenes - it's one of those movies you never actually want to end, by the end you just want to see more (and I could live with a director's which doubles the length of the movie).

If you haven't seen it, Wake up!

A great year for the Academy Awards, with a great selection of movies ahead to be watched! Erin Brockovich is the 1st movie watched from the 73rd Academy Awards and the 34th Academy Award nominated movie watched since I started this blog - interesting fact that the director of Erin Brockovich, Steven Soderbergh was nominated for this movie but would win the same year for another movie he was also nominated for, Traffic...

nuff said...