Erin Brokovich

Erin Brockovich is an unemployed single mother of three children who is desperate to find a job. One afternoon while she is out on her job search she is involved in a car accident. As a result, she files a lawsuit against the doctor who hit her in the car accident she was in, but to no avail. After the failed lawsuit she is desperate to find a job. Frustrated with the lack of communication from her attorney and with no alternative, Erin visits her lawyer’s office, and is able to successfully convince him to give her a job in compensation for the loss of her case.

In reviewing a pro bono real-estate case file, Erin questions the relevance of medical bills being a part of a real-estate files. Erin begins digging deeper to find the answer and does some research. What she discovers is that the water company, PG & E, is systematically covering-up the fact that they provided false information about the water supply in the small town Hinckley by purchasing land that was contaminated with chromium. This toxic waste was responsible for poisoning many residents of Hinckley causing serious illnesses. While no one takes her seriously, because of her unprofessional appearance and poor use of language, that all changes when she begins to uncover the truth of PG & E. Ultimately, the law firm she is working for files one of the biggest class action lawsuits in American history against a multi-billion dollar corporation and wins!

Throughout this movie, there are many conflicts that arise. This movie is very realistic in the presenting conflicts and the way they are resolved. Those conflicts include the following:
• Erin first meets her neighbor when he is outside making a lot of noise while she is trying to put her children to bed. She confronts him about being inconsiderate and makes it clear that she is does not appreciate his behavior. The neighbor is determined to be civil since they live next to each other. One day he cares for her children when her babysitter dumps them off and he is the only one around. Being the kind neighbor he accepts the position of helping Erin out and caring for her children. Over time the two of them build an intimate relationship. However, as Erin becomes more involved, with her job, it places a strain on their relationship creating much conflict.

• There is conflict that constantly evolves with her boss Mr. Masry, It starts out at the beginning of the movie when he represents Erin in her law suit again a doctor who hit her in a car accident. Frustrated with the lack of communication from his office, she goes to his office to express her dissatisfaction with this treatment. Once employed by him, there sis more conflict when she is terminated for her absence from work for a prolonged period of time while investigating the PG & E case. Later, when she is re-hired, and the case against PG & E is progressing, when Mr. Masry seeks consultation with another attorney, Erin becomes upset since their office has already done all of the challenging work.

• There is much conflict between Pacific Gas & Electric and the residents of Hinckly, as well as the lawyers representing PG & E and the team of Mr. Masry who is defending the towns people of Hinkley. The first conflict presented is when Erin discovers the worng-doing of PG & E and they try to stop her. Another conflict is when PG & E attempts to negotiate a ridiculous settlement. A third conflict is when the townspeople meet to determine the most appropriate action to take in resolving the case.

The characters were extremely effective in negotiation, communication, listening and problem-solving skills. Erin did a great job at relating to the victims by going to their homes and being extremely empathic. She was able to relate to them and listen to their challenges and health issues. Even with so many victims, she took the time to get to know each person as depicted when questioned about a few people and was able to provide their information without hesitation.

Overall, I think all of these conflicts were presented realistically. I thought they were handled in a realistic manner. While there were alternative resolutions, I believe the film did a great job at illustrating the most effective methods for resolution. However, the demeanor in which Erin handled herself with the foul language and abruptness could have been minimized and reduced. I feel that it was a bit much.