Tag Archives: albert finney

My Idol: Erin Brockovich

erin-brockovich

Erin was a single mother of three, with barely enough money to feed her family, let alone pay the bills. Desperate for a job, she begged her lawyer, Edward Masry, (who was defending her in a car collision lawsuit at the time) to give her a job at his independent firm. It was here that she stumbled across a lawsuit dealing with over 1200 plaintiffs regarding major chromium contamination by a company named PG&E in Hinkley. Confused as to why health records were mixed with the real estate records, she looked into it further, eventually finding that the entire community were being poisoned without their knowledge.

Erin Brockovich had no background in law, only basic morals for the health and well being of the community. With the help of Ed Masry, they were able to bring down the multi-billion dollar corporation cover up that included doctors being hired and paid by PG&E to give the community a clean bill of health, saying that the water was not only safe, but that the chromium traces in their tap water would be beneficial for their health. This contamination was eventually proved to be the cause for many serious illnesses and deaths in the area.

“The case was settled in 1996 for US$333 million, the largest settlement ever paid in a direct action lawsuit in US history. Brockovich’s law firm received 133.6 million dollars of this settlement, and Brockovich herself received a two million dollar bonus from the action.”

Erin and her employer and close friend, Edward Masry
Erin and her employer and close friend, Edward Masry

Erin Brockovich is an absolute heroine. She could certainly be rude and provoking with a no nonsense approach, yet her morals were in the right place. She was essentially a nobody who was able to know all of the plaintiffs personally, knowing their backgrounds and family trees enabling her to get the most up to date information to support their case.

I look up to this woman because against all odds she did something that was totally unexpected. She was able to bring down a multi-billion dollar company who’s only concern was how much profit they were making. Erin reminded everyone that people and the environment are so much more important than money, and that’s coming from somebody who had very little in the way of money.

The movie based on Brockovich's and Masry's success. Portrayed by Julia Roberts and Albert Finney.
The movie based on Brockovich’s and Masry’s success. Portrayed by Julia Roberts and Albert Finney.

I also think Erin Brockovich is a particularly perfect figure to talk about on this blog because a fantastically portrayed movie of her triumphs was released in 2000 with the amazing Julia Roberts playing Erin. It is a fantastic movie, very well made. In a world that is still ruled by billion-dollar companies, it’s still relevant. It was such a breath of fresh air to have my faith in humanity restored when an ordinary woman took the reins and did something.

She has so much integrity and is so inspirational.

Jodie.

 

Big Fish

Big Fish
Director: Tim Burton
Writer: John August (Screenplay), Daniel Wallace (Novel – Big Fish: A Novel of Mythical Proportions)
Released: 2003
Starring: Marion Cotillard, Helena Bonham-Carter, Billy Crudup, Albert Finney and Ewen McGregor
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I have mentioned this movie in quite a few other posts, relating it to Forrest Gump and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button because of their similar stories about an average  man on his adventure through life.

Big Fish is directed by Tim Burton, so already you have probably got an idea of what the feel of this film is. A little bit quirky with gothic undertones, but don’t be fooled, this is not a cookie-cutter Burton film (although it does include the incredible Helena Bonham-Carter), this is an amazing tale about Edward Bloom’s (Albert Finney/Ewan McGregor) life.

circusThe protagonist is a storyteller although he is known to exaggerate and embellish the story of his life with fantastical metaphors and unbelievable occurrences. Just like Forrest Gump, Edward is a Southern man who finds himself on a road of various adventures, finds love and goes to war.

But Big Fish is a more light hearted and fantastical version where you’re not quite sure what to believe to be true. Edward Bloom’s stories take up most of the film, but it also tells the story of his son, William Bloom (Billy Crudup).

spectre1

He goes on a journey of his own, retracing his father’s footsteps to find out the real story behind all of Edward’s fabricated tales. The contrast between reality and fantasy makes the story more believable. The facts would have made uninteresting tales, whereas the elaborate stories are entertaining and unbelievable.

I love this piece of dialogue where William’s fiancé Josephine (Marion Cotillard) speaks to William Bloom about how he met is wife, Sandra (Jessica Lange/Alison Lohman). I love Bloom’s way of speaking!

Edward Bloom: Your mother-in-law was never supposed to marry me.  She was engaged to somebody else.
Josephine: I never knew.
Edward Bloom: Will never told you? Probably just as well. He would have told it wrong, anyway. All the facts, none of the flavor.
Josephine: Oh. So this is a tall tale.
Edward Bloom: Well, it’s not a short one.

This clip should give you a good idea of the feel of the movie:

The music is fantastic in Big Fish. There is Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and Pearl Jam as well as the compositions by the infamous Danny Elfman (who incidentally cannot read music!)

witchFate, destiny, time, love and death. From real life giants and lion tamers to mermaids and witches, Big Fish is a fantasy/adventure/drama movie, but with a make-believe glaze over it.

It is a story of great imagination which you will want to watch over and over again and read further into the details. It’s entertaining but also pulls on the heart-strings.

Jodie’s rating: 9/10


Just noticed they have used the same piece of music from Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands… and another piece of music I recognise from Black Beauty in this trailer! All of these movies have the same composer though; Danny Elfman.