Erin Brockovich

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Recommended: The development of the American dream

Erin Brockovich

Erin Brockovich, directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Susannah Grant, is based on the true story surrounding the film's protagonist. Erin Brockovich (Julia Roberts) personifies a young and energetic, unemployed single mother who has neither money nor education to back up her unshakable principles and her determination to support her family.

It is a film in which there is a very strong feeling of two scenarios; these being the notorious 'American Dream' so often utilised by American film makers, and a 'David and Goliath' feel which would magnetise virtually all of the 'Blue Collar' public in America. This is probably because this may be something that they are able to relate to. I have already mentioned one of the infamous American classes; Erin is of the blue-collar variety and is the antagonist of the other main class, 'white collar' workers in office jobs.

Driven by the responsibility of feeding and educating her three children, and armed with a general distrust of people, Erin Brockovich finds employment with Ed Masry, her ex-lawyer who had failed to win her a case from which she expected to receive compensation. Struggling to juggle a coerced boss and her resentful female co-workers, who do not approve of her attire or of her signature cleavage, Erin Brockovich applies herself to her job wholeheartedly. With the hard-earned support of her boss and her new baby-sitter, Erin uncovers years of undetected criminal activities of a major corporation, PG&E, and manages to build a case for the small-town firm.

The extract that I am going to analyse consists of when Ed is at the meeting with some of the town's inhabitants.

One of the first shots that we are exposed to is a view of Ed as he is explaining the current status of the PG&E case to the residents. In the sweltering town hall all that we can see is a mass of what seems to be hand outs being waved around as fans. In some way this gives us a feel that the crowd are agitated and restless, also this situation must make Ed feel like he is being undermined as this is all that his effort in the leaflets is worth.

Also, the dwellers look like they have little confidence in Ed's ability. The hall looks very realistic; the mise-en-scene includes American flag and folk looking very authentic in cowboy hats and the like.

All the while, there is something that goes unnoticed by the viewers.

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