Erin Brokovich

(Drama) ( 2000)

Major Characters

Erin BrokovichÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.Julie Roberts

A divorced mother of two young children who discovers that the residents of a small Southern California town have been poisoned by industrial pollution created by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company

(PG&E), which is the one of the stateÕs biggest companies.

Ed MasryÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.Albert Finney

A trial lawyer and head of a small legal firm who becomes involved

in legal action against PG&E after Erin starts to work in his office.

GeorgeÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉAaron Eckhart

An unemployed construction worker and motorcycle

lover who becomes romantically involved with Erin.

Donna JensenÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉMarge Helgenberger

A sick mother of two children who lives in Hinkley, California,

the town where Erin is investigating the pollution caused by PG&E.

ScottÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉJamie Harrold

A teenager who works at the local water board, which is where Erin copies many of the documents that lead her to believe that Hinkley has been horribly damaged by PG&EÕs negligence (irresponsible behavior).

Pamela DuncanÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.Cherry Jones

A resident of Hinkley who at first isnÕt sure weather she should

believe Erin or PG&E about the dangers of the townÕs water supply.

Charles EmbryÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..Tracey Walter

Another resident of Hinkley and a former employee of the local PG&E industrial plant, who agrees to give Erin some very important company papers.

Kurt PotterÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉPeter Coyote

An experienced tort (injury) lawyer who agrees

to work with Ed in the lawsuit against PG&E.

Theresa DallavalleÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..Veanne Cox

KurtÕs assistant lawyer who also starts to work on the Hinkley case.

Plot Summary

This is a movie based on a true story that occurred in Southern California in the mid 1990s. At that time, Erin Brockovich was a very strong and beautiful divorced mother of two who was struggling to survive financially when she becomes injured in a car accident. She hires a lawyer named Ed Masry who promises to get her money for her injuries, but because Erin is very emotional and loves to use foul language, a jury refuses to award her any money. Desperate for income, Erin convinces Ed to hire her as an office clerk, and it is there that Erin becomes a great investigator.

After looking into a simple property case from EdÕs files, Erin soon discovers that many people have become horribly sick in the small desert town of Hinkley, about two hours East of Los Angeles. She begins to investigate the situation as if she were a well trained lawyer, but in fact, she had never been to law school. What she gradually learns is that the huge Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) was letting a toxic chemical called Hexavalent Chromium 6 spread throughout the Hinkley water supply, and that this was in turn causing hundred of residents to get cancer and other deadly diseases.

A lawsuit against a huge company is an expensive and very risky process, and thus much of this story concerns ErinÕs endless attempts to convince the townÕs residents as well as her new boss, Ed, her new boyfriend, George, and even her own children that the enormous time and energy that such a struggle will require is still worth the effort. In the end, this is the story of ErinÕs incredible energy and determination, and how it helped a lot of very poor and mistreated people find some real justice.

Some Words and Expressions that You May not Know

Erin looks for a job, gets hit by a car, and loses a lawsuit that she

would have won, had she only known how to control her temper.

IÕve seen nurses give my son throat cultures.

A medical test in which a cotton swab (Q-tip) is put down a

personÕs throat in order to look for bacteria or other infections.

A urinalysis, where you take that dipstick to see if the white count is high.

A ÒurinalysisÓ is a test that is done to analyze what is inside a personÕs urine (piss). A ÒdipstickÓ is a stick that is placed inside a liquid, such as car oil, to see how much liquid is present. In this context, Òwhite countÓ refers to the count or number of white blood cells.

You show me something in a lab once, and I got it down.

A ÒlabÓ is short for a laboratory, where scientific or medical experiments are done. If a person has Ògot it down,Ó they have mastered a particular topic or piece of information. This is ErinÕs

way of saying that she learns very quickly.

I always wanted to go to medical school, but I kind of blew that.

ÒTo blow itÓ is a great colloquial expression which means

to do something very badly, or fail at it completely.

My boy came down with the chicken pox.

ÒTo come downÓ with a disease is to get sick because of it.

ÒChicken PoxÓ is a common childhood disease.

My ex-husband was useless, too, so that didnÕt really work out.

ÒUselessÓ is a very strong insult if used when describing a person.

If a situation ÒdoesnÕt work out,Ó it ends up badly.

Awe, fuck, god damn it!

Two common but vulgar obscenities to

express emotion such as anger or frustration.

She was referred.

If a client is Òreferred,Ó they choose to go to a particular lawyer

or other professional because of a personal recommendation.

I never thought just standing could take it

out of you, but ever since that shithead hit meÉ

If something Òtakes it out of you,Ó it takes all your energy and leaves you extremely tired. ÒShitheadÓ is a crude but excellent insult word to describe a jerk, bastard, ass, etc.

Whoever did this to you made one hell of a mistake.

A set expression placed before a noun to show

emphasis (ÒThey made a very big mistakeÓ).

Out of nowhere, his jaguar came racing

around the corner like a bat out of hell.

If somebody comes Òout of nowhere,Ó they arrive suddenly and unexpectedly. A ÒjaguarÓ is a well-known sport car (and a beautiful big cat), and to move Òlike a bat of out of hellÓ is to go extremely quickly, perhaps because of great fear.

I couldnÕt take pain killers because they

made me too groggy to take care of my kids.

ÒGroggyÓ means very sleepy, or lacking the energy to focus.

WhatÕs the point? :: Broke, three kids, no job. A doctor

in a jaguar must have looked like a pretty good meal ticket.

ÒWhatÕs the point?Ó is an excellent way of asking a person what they are really trying to say. If a person is Òbroke,Ó they have no money. A Òmeal ticketÓ is a silly expression for a potential source of money.

Objection! :: Sustained!

In a trial, if a lawyer yells Òobjection,Ó they are asking the judge to stop another lawyer or witness from saying things that are irrelevant to the trial and that the jury should not hear. If a judge says Òsustained,Ó she is agreeing with that lawyerÕs objection

He came tearing around the corner out of control.

If a car is Òtearing around a corner,Ó it is driving and turning

extremely quickly, probably in a way that is not safe.

An ER doctor who spends his days saving lives was out of control?

ÒERÓ is short for emergency room.

That assholesmashed in my fucking neck!

ÒAssholeÓ is a very common insult word which is much more vulgar than jerk, creep, etc. ÒTo smash inÓ something is to crush or destroy it.

Note the use of ÒfuckingÓ as an adjective, which is very crude, and very common in this movie.

Open and fucking shut!

An Òopen and shutÓ case is one that is expected to succeed very easily, because the law or facts are so in favor of one side. Here, Erin is being very angry and sarcastic.

I told you the questions might get personal! :: No, you told me IÕd be set!

If questions get Òpersonal,Ó they involve peopleÕs private lives.

In this context, if a person is Òset,Ó they are placed in a good or favorable situation (Here, Erin thought sheÕd get a lot of money).

You told me I had a good shot. I had no shot!

ÒA good shotÓ at being able to do or accomplish

something is a good chance or possibility of doing it.

LetÕs settle down. :: Fuck Òsettle down!,Ó I got $74 in the bank.

To Òsettle downÓ is to calm down, or act more quietly.

Note that the vulgar expression Òfuck thatÓ to express anger can be modified to have any words, including those words that were just said by another person.

Do they teach lawyers to apologize? Because you suck at it.

If a person Òsucks atÓ doing something, theyÕ re very bad at it. Vulgar!

Erin gets Ed to give her a job, and then meets

George, who is happy to take care of her kids.

A cheeseburger deluxe.

A common adjective, placed after the noun, to describe a product that is considered to be the best version in its class (This is a favorite word among advertisers and can apply to things from hamburgers to cars).

A cup of chicken broth.

A type of thin or clear soup that is made with meat.

IÕm still stuffed.

The word to use when you have eaten so much that you canÕt

eat any more. It literally means filled, packed tightly, or full.

I donÕt really have a resume.

A typed report that usually describes a personÕs work history and educational background, which is used by potential employers.

IÕm a client. I want him to call me. ItÕs as simple as that.

A person who pays a professional person,

especially a lawyer, for services and advice.

ThereÕs two things that aggravate me, Mr. Masry.

ÒTo aggravateÓ a person is to anger or upset them.

I donÕt need pity. I need a paycheck.

ÒPityÓ is the feeling others have for a person that they feel sorry for.

ItÕs hard to get a job that pays worth a damn.

If something is Ònot worth a damn,Ó it is worthless, or not worth the trouble of doing it. Unlike here, itÕs usually used in the negative.

We have a full staff right now. :: Bullshit! If you had a

full staff, this office would return a clientÕs damn phone calls.

If an office has a Òfull staff,Ó then all the positions are filled and there are no available job. ÒBullshitÓ is a classic obscenity that means lies, distortions of the truth, or just nonsense.

If it doesnÕt work out, fire me. DonÕt make me beg.

If something Òworks out well,Ó it is considered successful.

No benefits.

In an employment context, ÒbenefitsÓ refer to the things workers get beside just their salary, such as health insurance and paid vacations.

At any time, we can tell the status of a file.

The ÒstatusÓ of something is its current position or situation, and in this case, a ÒfileÓ is the paperwork for one particular legal case.

Do I get to pick my own code?

A system of words, letters or numbers that are either designed

to keep a message secret or to help start up or use a machine.

I was wondering, can you tell me who I talk to

about getting an advance on my paycheck?

ÒI was wonderingÓ is an excellent and gentle way of starting to talk about something that is sensitive or delicate. An ÒadvanceÓ on a paycheck is a payment that is made before it is due.

Rosalind handles the payroll and petty cash.

ÒTo handleÓ something is to take care of it. ÒPayrollÓ is the part of a business that deals with writing all the paychecks for its employees, and Òpetty cashÓ is the money that is given to employees to pay for minor business-related expenses such as office supplies.

Oh, for PeteÕs sake, here.

A funny and curious way of expressing frustration or surprise.

There, weÕre introduced, so shut the fuck up.

A very crude but not uncommon way of telling a person to shut up.

Hey, come on, donÕt be like that.

The most versatile phrasal verb in English, here, meaning please.

Why donÕt I take you out to dinner to apologize for my rudeness?

If a person is Òrude,Ó they are impolite or perhaps rough or abusive.

With all the numbers I gave you, I guess zero is

the number of times youÕre gonna call it.

Note that in rapid speech, Ògoing toÓ -----> Ògonna.Ó

How do you remember your bank account

number off the top of your head like that?

To remember something Òoff the top of your headÓ is to easily remember a small or old fact without even thinking about it.

The real estate thing. Pro bono.

ÒReal estateÓ refers to the sale of houses, building and land,

and if a lawyer works on a case Òpro bono,Ó they do it for free.

Now that youÕre working here, you may

want to rethink your wardrobe a little.

The type of clothes that a person owns and wears.

Why are these medical records and blood samples in the real estate files?

ÒBlood samplesÓ are tiny containers of blood that are used to

see if people have various diseases like AIDS or cancer.

What the hell happened?

A common addition to Wh question (especially this one),

which is used to show emotion such as anger or frustration.

She said something came up and she had to drop the kids off.

If something Òcomes up,Ó it happens unexpectedly.

That stupid bitch!

A very crude insult word for a mean or abusive woman.

Want a hot dog? ThereÕs an extra one on the grill.

A set of bars over an open fire thatÕs used for cooking, especially meat.

Mom, what do you think about getting a tattoo?

A picture that is drawn directly on to the skin.

Goodnight, buddy.

Another word for friend or pal.

This is a Harley-Davidson. The best damn motorcycle ever made.

Harley-Davidson is a brand of American motorcycle. ÒDamnÓ can

be used as a vulgar adjective to express emotion or emphasis.

If I catch you near one, IÕll knock you silly.

To Òknock a person sillyÓ is to hit them so hard they canÕt think.

Keep it down! The babyÕs asleep.

A common way of telling people to speak more quietly.

You have great kids. :: IÕm sure IÕll fuck them up eventually.

ÒTo fuck upÓ a child is to harm or damage

them, in this case by being a bad parent.

IÕm not a good judge of character, or I would never have left them

with that idiot, who cost a fortune and smelled like chicken fat.

A person who is Òa good judge of characterÓ is able to see if another person is honest or responsible or just a good person in general. An ÒidiotÓ is a common and excellent insult word for a very stupid person.

How many decks do you guys have?

A ÒdeckÓ of cards is the 52 different cards that are played in a game.

I work when I need to. :: And what do you do the

rest of the time, live off of your trust fund?

ÒTo live off ofÓ something is to take the money you get from it to survive financially. A Òtrust fundÓ is an account that one person sets up for another, which generally pays out a certain amount of money every month or year.

I do construction, which pays real good, and I make it last by living cheap.

ÒConstructionÓ is the profession of building houses and other buildings. ÒTo live cheapÓ means to spend little money.

You always this hard on people who try to help you?

ÒTo be hardÓ on a person is to treat them poorly or disrespectfully.

I donÕt mind you taking me up on that.

ÒTo take upÓ a person on an offer is to accept it.

I like hanging out with them. They keep it simple.

ÒTo hang outÓ with a person is to pass time with

them. A widely used colloquial phrasal verb.

ItÕs no big deal. If it doesnÕt work out, you can

always send them back to the chicken fat lady.

If something is Òno big deal,Ó itÕs not that important or significant.

This isnÕt going to get you laid. :: ThatÕs good,

cause I donÕt find you attractive either.

ÒTo get laidÓ is a very common slang term meaning to have sex. ÒAttractiveÓ is a useful adjective to describe either a

good-looking person or one with a good personality.

Good, then weÕre even.

If two people are Òeven,Ó they are in balance, so that, for example, if one person does something bad to the other one, they are even if that second person later does something bad in return to the first one.

IÕm so glad we got that out of the way.

ÒGladÓ is a common alternative to happy or content. In this context, Òto get that out of the wayÓ means to discuss a sensitive topic early on, so that it doesnÕt need to be discussed later.

Now I can just look after the kids and I donÕt have

to worry about you coming on to me all the time.

If a man is Òcoming on toÓ a woman, he is trying to attract or

seduce her so that they might have sex. Very slangy and useful.

Erin drives to Hinkley to learn about Hexavalent Chromium 6 and

what it can do to people, but she soon finds herself without a job.

Toxicology report.

A study which shows how poisonous or dangerous a chemical is.

Decreased white blood cells. Increased lymphocytes. T-helper cells.

These are all medical words that deal with peopleÕs blood

(Cells are the basic biological building blocks, with a wall and

a nucleus, which is the center of the cell).

Pro bono case.

A case that a lawyer agrees to work on for free, perhaps because

it is for a good cause, or the clients are too poor to pay anything.

YouÕre a lawyer. :: Hell no, I hate lawyers. I just work for them.

A very slangy and strong way of denying what has just been said.

I donÕt want to be a pain in PG&EÕs backside,

especially after all theyÕve done for Hinkley.

A Òpain in the assÓ is a very common term for a person who is causing a problem or disturbance, and a personÕs ÒbacksideÓ is their ass, though this word and the full expression are fairly rare.

I donÕt want to move! Uproot the kids?

To ÒuprootÓ people is to pull them away from where they are

used to living (Plants and flowers can be physically uprooted).

Honest to God, I donÕt know if I have the energy.

An old-fashioned way of saying honestly, or frankly.

There is just so much correspondence, I just keep it all in one place.

Another word for letters, forms or other types of communication.

They paid for a check-up for the whole family.

A Òcheck-upÓ is a common way of referring to a routine medical exam.

Why did they do that? :: Because of the chromium.

A type of mineral or metal.

ThatÕs what kicked the whole thing off.

ÒTo kick offÓ a series of events is to start it.

ThereÕs straight up chromium. Does all kinds of good

things for the body. ThereÕs chrome 3, which is fairly benign.

In this case, Òstraight upÓ is a way of saying pure, or not mixed with anything else. If something is Òbenign,Ó itÕs harmless or not dangerous.

Then thereÕs chrome 6, haxavalent chromium, which

depending on the amounts, can be very harmful.

A type of chromium that causes horrible medical problems.

With repeated exposure to toxic levels, anything from chronic

headaches and nosebleeds to respiratory disease, liver failure.

ÒExposureÓ is a way of saying physical contact. If something is Òtoxic,Ó

it is poisonous or very harmful. ÒRespiratoryÓ diseases are those that effect the lungs and your ability to breath.

Bone or organ deterioration.

ÒDeteriorationÓ is the process of falling apart, decaying or dying.