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Parents' Guide to

Erin Brockovich

By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Legal drama based on a true story has lots of cursing.

Movie R 2000 132 minutes
Erin Brockovich Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 7 parent reviews

Cinefile97
Cinefile97 Adult
March 19, 2018
age 15+

Tour de Roberts!

For many, the term movie star might elicit names such as Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, and/or Denzel Washington. However, with no disrespect to those aforementioned juggernauts of the cineplex, when I think movie star, Julia Roberts is the first name to come to mind, and one need only view her Oscar-winning performance in this Steven Soderbergh courtroom drama to understand why. Strong, vulnerable, complex, and all together captivating, Roberts' Brockovich is a compelling and relatable working-class underdog, who though abrasive upon first glance, is ultimately one of modern cinema's most winning and memorable heroines. While I could continue to sing praises of Roberts' performance for days, I must affirm that every other aspect of this 2000 breakout hit is likewise well executed. From Susannah Grant's crowd-pleasing screenplay to Soderbergh's brisk direction to the wonderful performances of the supporting cast (Special shout out to the always delightful Albert Finney!), Erin Brockovich is a gem of a motion picture that even the most casual of moviegoers shouldn't miss.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much swearing
MelissaSL
MelissaSL Parent of 11, 18+ and 18+-year-old
January 10, 2018
age 12+

The Best!

This movie was one of the best I’ve seen in about... FOREVER! Julia Roberts was amazing and the message was truly beautiful. The movie is about perceiving through life’s challenges. Julia’s Character Erin was a big curser and had two ex’s and kids at an early age but the movie was amazing! There is also a bit of sadness because people are being affected by poison but no noticeable deaths. There is some sexy parts but nothing much easy to cover up your kids heads! 10000000 stars! ~Olivia, age 11

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much swearing
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

When she loses her lawsuit after a car accident, ERIN BROCKOVICH (Julia Roberts) forces the lawyer who represented her (Albert Finney as Ed Masry) to give her a job. No one wants her there, and no one likes her because she has a big mouth and wears trashy clothes. But she is curious and tenacious. She gets interested in a real estate file that includes medical records, and goes off to investigate. It turns out that the community of Hinkley has been poisoned by hexavalent chromium, leaching into the drinking water from a PG&E plant. Erin gains the trust of the community and helps Ed put together a case that would win the largest direct claim settlement in American history.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7 ):
Kids say (10 ):

This movie is truly an enjoyable ride. The movie poster for it says, "She brought a small town to its feet and a huge company to its knees." So viewers know where it's all going, and just settle back and have fun. Julia Roberts keeps getting better and better, more luminous, and at the same time more vulnerable and more in control. She plays Erin as a woman who never stopped believing in herself and yet is deeply touched when others believe in her, too. She understands the way the people in Hinkley feel, mistrustful of lawyers and overwhelmed by the odds. She understands that "people want to tell their stories." And she has enough confidence in herself to know that, while she might not have been able to keep her beauty queen promise of ending world hunger, this is a promise she can keep.

She understands, too, that there will be costs. A romance with a loving biker/nanny (George, played by Aaron Eckhart, who makes that combination endearingly believable) and her relationships with her children are threatened by her devotion to the case. In a heartbreaking scene, she is driving back home after a hard day and George tells her that her baby spoke her first word. Erin is overjoyed at the news and devastated to have missed it. The look in her eyes as George tells her all about it is complex, rich, perfect. And there are many Rocky/Norma Rae-style feel-good moments, like when PG&E's first lawyer, looking like a high school debate club president, tries to bully Erin and Ed, and when Erin uses everything from her cleavage to her baby to get access to the records she needs.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why it is that Erin is able to connect with the residents of Hinkley, why she is reluctant to accept help from anyone, and the importance of not judging people based on their appearance. They may also want to talk about the issue of corporate responsibility. No one at PG&E wanted anyone to get hurt. How do problems like lack of accountability arise?

  • How is Erin Brockovich shown to be heroic while also a flawed character? How does she compare to protagonists in other movies?

  • What would be the challenges in adapting a true story such as this one, with all its legal complications and twists, into an engaging movie?

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