Erin Brockovich (film)

Erin Brockovich is a 2000 film about the true story of an unemployed single mother who becomes a legal assistant and almost single-handedly brings down a California power company accused of polluting a city's water supply.

Directed by Steven Soderbergh, produced by Danny DeVito and written by Susannah Grant.

She brought a small town to its feet and a huge corporation to its knees.

Erin Brockovich

For the first time in my life, I got people respecting me. Please, don't ask me to give it up.

Not personal?! That is my work, my sweat, my time away from my kids! If that's not personal, I don't know what is!

[From memory, to a group of lawyers who don't think she adds anything to the case] Annabelle Daniels: 74-454-9346. 10 years old, 11 in May. Lived on the plume since birth. Wanted to be a synchronized swimmer so she spent every minute she could in the PG&E pool. She had a tumor in her brain stem detected last November, an operation on Thanksgiving, shrunk it with radiation after that. Her parents are Ted & Rita. Ted's got Crohn's disease, Rita has chronic headaches, and nausea, and underwent a hysterectomy last fall. Ted grew up in Hinkley. His brother Robbie, and his wife May and their five children: Robbie Jr, Martha, Ed, Rose & Peter also lived on the plume. Their number is 454-9554, you want their diseases?

Dialogue

Ed Masry: What makes you think you can just walk in there and take whatever you want?

Erin Brockovich: They're called boobs, Ed.

Ed Masry: In a law firm you may want to re-think your wardrobe a little.

Erin Brockovich: Well Ed, I think I look nice. And as long as I have one ass instead of two I'll wear what I like if that's all right with you? You might want to re-think those ties.

George: How many numbers you got?

Erin Brockovich: Oh, I got numbers comin' outta my ears. For instance: ten.

George: Ten?

Erin Brockovich: Yeah. That's how many months old my baby girl is.

George: You got a little girl?

Erin Brockovich: Yeah. Yeah, sexy, huh? How 'bout this for a number? Six. That's how old my other daughter is, eight is the age of my son, two is how many times I've been married -- and divorced; sixteen is the number of dollars I have in my bank account. 850-3943. That's my phone number, and with all the numbers I gave you, I'm guessing zero is the number of times you're gonna call it.

Ed Masry: This is a whole different ball game. A much bigger deal.

Erin Brockovich: Kind of like David and whats-his-name.

Ed Masry: Kind of like David and whats-his-name's whole fucking family. [sighs] Okay, here's the deal: If, and only if, you find all the evidence to back this up, I'll do it, I'll take it on.

Erin Brockovich: You're doing the right thing, Mr. Masry.

Ed Masry: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Remind me of that when I'm filing for bankruptcy.

[At the meeting with the PG & E lawyers]

Ms. Sanchez: Let's be honest here. $20 million dollars is more money then these people have ever dreamed of.

Erin Brockovich: Oh see, now that pisses me off. First of all, since the demur we have more than 400 plaintiffs and... let's be honest, we all know there are more out there. They may not be the most sophisticated people but they do know how to divide and $20 million isn't shit when you split it between them. Second of all, these people don't dream about being rich. They dream about being able to watch their kids swim in a pool without worrying that they'll have to have a hysterectomy at the age of twenty. Like Rosa Diaz, a client of ours. Or have their spine deteriorate, like Stan Blume, another client of ours. So before you come back here with another lame ass offer, I want you to think real hard about what your spine is worth, Mr. Walker. Or what you might expect someone to pay you for your uterus, Ms. Sanchez. Then you take out your calculator and you multiply that number by a hundred. Anything less than that is a waste of our time.

[Ms. Sanchez picks up a glass of water]

Erin Brockovich: By the way, we had that water brought in special for you folks. Came from a well in Hinkley.

Ms. Sanchez: [Eyes the water warily and sets the glass back down] I think this meeting is over.

Ed Masry: Damn right it is.

Ed Masry: [after a meeting with a PG&E representative] Didn't you hear? They have $28 billion at their disposal!

Erin Brockovich: So?

Ed Masry: You think I'm MADE of money?

Erin Brockovich: What are you yelling at me for?

Ed Masry: Because I'm pissed off!

Erin Brockovich: Good!

Ed Masry: [throws down tie] Fuck you!

Erin Brockovich: Fuck you back!

Ed Masry: [starts laughing] I really hate you sometimes, I really do.

Erin Brockovich: Aww, you love me.

Donna Jensen: You're a lawyer?

Erin Brockovich: NO, no... I hate lawyers. I only work for them.

Kurt Potter: Wha... how did you do this?

Erin Brockovich: Well, um, seeing as how I have no brains or legal expertise, and Ed here was losing all faith in the system, am I right?

Ed Masry: Oh, yeah, completely. No faith, no faith...

Erin Brockovich: I just went out there and performed sexual favors. Six hundred and thirty-four blowjobs in five days... I'm really quite tired.

Ed Masry: [giving Erin her bonus check] It's not exactly what we discussed.

Erin Brockovich: You know why everyone thinks that all lawyers are back stabbing, blood sucking scum bags? 'Cause they are! And I can not believe you expect me to go out, leave my kids with strangers and get people to trust you with THEIR lives while all the while you're screwing me! You know, Ed, it's not about the number! It's about the way my work is valued in this firm...

[She looks at the check, made out for $2 million]

Ed Masry: Like I was saying, I thought that the number you proposed was inappropriate, so I increased it.

[Turns to walk away and turns around to her]

Ed Masry: Do they teach beauty queens to apologize? Because you sure suck at it!

[Long pause, as Erin looks at the check]

Erin Brockovich: Uh, Ed... Uh... thank you...