Erin Brockovich

Julia Roberts is at her best here as the eponymously feisty woman who is struggling to keep her three kids fed and watered whilst holding down a decent job. An accident sends her the way of attorney Ed Masry (Albert Finney) who makes some damages promises that don't prove forthcoming - so she decides that she is going to work for him - whether he likes it or not! Admin ensues and during some routine filing she starts to notice a prevalence of medical records contained in property transaction documentation. A little further investigation and a few conversations with some local people soon suggests to her, and her still sceptical boss, that a large corporate enterprise has been systematically poisoning the water supply and misleading the residents about some pretty ghastly illnesses that had befallen them. Needless to say, the lawyers for big business and the system itself lobs quite a few obstacles in their path, but as this true story unravels we receive an entertainingly focussed and well written objective lesson in tenacity and dedication. There's an increasingly effective chemistry here between Roberts and Finney, and with Aaron Eckhart providing the babysitting services - and allowing us all to come up for air now and again, this turns out to be a compelling drama, peppered with some lovely dark humour, that still works well.