https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erin_Brockovich
ERIN BROCKOVICH
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ERIN BROCKOVICH
by maikuu » Wed Jul 29, 2015 4:16 pm
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Re: ERIN BROCKOVICH (Mike)
by xueting » Thu Jul 30, 2015 2:27 pm
As far as I'm concerned, Erin, the main character in this movie, is a typical feminist in some way. However, it took her a long period of time to become such an independent woman. Before, she begged for jobs, cared too much about what her boyfriend or husband wanted, wasn't able to defend herself as well as her children from unfairness, etc. All in all, she was one of the women who could do nothing and even never thought about doing anything to change her own life but only leeched on to others or placed hope on help and support from outside world.
However, fortunately, she gradually understands the one who could actually help her is herself, which makes her become a really independent person without surrendering to any person or inequity. She gets to acknowledge that she should never give up what she deserves. As a consequence, she wins her job by accomplishing tasks that nobody else can manage to do, through which she gains respect from others. What she has done are definitely meaningful because they help save ordinary people's lives, and this eventually helps herself get understanding from her children. Instead of begging for love, she shows her boyfriend in what way she is worthy of his love and makes him cherish her deeply.
Erin doesn't ask for anything, but she obtains everything because she knows who she is, what she truly wants. Only the person who doesn't place hope on other persons, dedicate in something meaningful not only to individual but also to more people, and keep his/herself strong in mind can lead a free life with confidence. That's what we should keep in mind forever.
However, fortunately, she gradually understands the one who could actually help her is herself, which makes her become a really independent person without surrendering to any person or inequity. She gets to acknowledge that she should never give up what she deserves. As a consequence, she wins her job by accomplishing tasks that nobody else can manage to do, through which she gains respect from others. What she has done are definitely meaningful because they help save ordinary people's lives, and this eventually helps herself get understanding from her children. Instead of begging for love, she shows her boyfriend in what way she is worthy of his love and makes him cherish her deeply.
Erin doesn't ask for anything, but she obtains everything because she knows who she is, what she truly wants. Only the person who doesn't place hope on other persons, dedicate in something meaningful not only to individual but also to more people, and keep his/herself strong in mind can lead a free life with confidence. That's what we should keep in mind forever.
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Re: ERIN BROCKOVICH (Mike)
by Huanlin » Thu Jul 30, 2015 3:50 pm
How does Erin's life change during the course of the story?
At first, Erin was trying really hard to get a job, but with her lack of experiences and her appearance, she was always the one who was rejected and lived miserable. Later, she became an assistant at the office, but only doing basic jobs such as arranging files. When she asked her co-workers questions about the files, people didn’t want to waste time on her and assumed that she was just asking unimportant things about the basic works. While she was doing research, people assumed that she was out having fun and the boss fired her. During this period, everyone from work looked down on her.
However, her great effort started to work later. It was her boss who needed to try to get Erin back to work and Erin was the one asking for benefits and dominating the conversation. Later, she became an indispensable part of the case, finally cooperating with, not just worked for, Ed. Erin won the trust of not only Ed, but also the residents. They wanted to communicate with Erin instead of the professional lawyer. Erin was distained by everyone before she took the job, however in the end, she turned into a respectable professional.
What character traits help her to become successful?
First, I consider persistence an important trait to help her become successful. Though she got threatened by the company or blamed by George and her kids, she didn’t give up on the job. Instead of quitting the job, she kept fighting for the residents’ remedy and tried to let her kids and George understand the importance of what she was doing.
Second, she is really concentrated and can pay attention to details. She found out the strange parts of the file. While she was copying documents from water board, she also found the keywords and the record she needed in all those piles of papers. She was also willing to collect frog corpse and polluted water for the case, not afraid of the health risk or the patrols, which shows that she was not only concentrated, but also willing to take action.
Third, her connection and care to people did help her a lot. She can feel the sorrow of the residents as if it happened to herself. This is why the residents are willing to talk and cooperate with her. The enthusiasm also helped her a lot during debates with Ed, other lawyers or PG&E, her emotion always gave power to what she wanted to express.
Why are Erin and Ed Masrey well-suited for each other?
Ed has his professional knowledge of the law. This would help them make decisions and strategies during the lawsuit. He is the intellect in this movie while Erin is the emotional, passion one. She was the one who insist on undergoing this lawsuit because she was not considering the benefits she or the law office could get, but the residents’ benefits. This lawsuit was really tough, if only considering from the intellectual level, they wouldn’t have made it to the end. It was Erin who kept this case working and progressing.
Also, Ed didn’t know how to get close to his clients. There was a scene when the residents asked them to stay and have some dessert after a discussion. Ed thought since the works were all done, they could just leave, but Erin stopped him. They ended up staying, eating and chatting. Of course they may not be talking about the trial or evidence, but this is also really crucial for the case. They should build relationships with their clients to keep them cooperating. Ed wouldn’t pay attention to this part because he only considered the professional aspect. It was Erin who helped him. Also due to Erin’s connection with the residents, they got to obtain many evidence because the residents trusted Erin instead of all the other professions.
Write a setup/opinion of ERIN BROCKOVICH.
Erin’s success is an encouragement to the audience. People would have the courage to do the right things, and try to change their lives. However, I think Erin couldn’t have made it without George and her kids. At the earlier stage of her career, she could work hard because George helped her taking care of her children without being paid. She didn’t need to worry about the extra cost. Also, George was such a decent man that she didn’t need to worry about her children not getting along with George. When the kids were babysit by another lady, she was worrying about the lady not paying enough attention, but when George was doing the job, she could focus on her job. Also, her kids were really thoughtfull. Though they were sometimes upset with their mom not being around, they didn’t do anything rebellious. For Erin, this really saved a lot of trouble. At the end, her son Mathew even volunteered to buy breakfast for his mom because he realized the importance of his mom’s job. He started to sympathize the victims just like his mother. To conclude, although Erin was really impressive, I think part of her success was attributed to George and her kids. This tells us we should be grateful for what we achieve because the success often gives credits to many people.
Huan
At first, Erin was trying really hard to get a job, but with her lack of experiences and her appearance, she was always the one who was rejected and lived miserable. Later, she became an assistant at the office, but only doing basic jobs such as arranging files. When she asked her co-workers questions about the files, people didn’t want to waste time on her and assumed that she was just asking unimportant things about the basic works. While she was doing research, people assumed that she was out having fun and the boss fired her. During this period, everyone from work looked down on her.
However, her great effort started to work later. It was her boss who needed to try to get Erin back to work and Erin was the one asking for benefits and dominating the conversation. Later, she became an indispensable part of the case, finally cooperating with, not just worked for, Ed. Erin won the trust of not only Ed, but also the residents. They wanted to communicate with Erin instead of the professional lawyer. Erin was distained by everyone before she took the job, however in the end, she turned into a respectable professional.
What character traits help her to become successful?
First, I consider persistence an important trait to help her become successful. Though she got threatened by the company or blamed by George and her kids, she didn’t give up on the job. Instead of quitting the job, she kept fighting for the residents’ remedy and tried to let her kids and George understand the importance of what she was doing.
Second, she is really concentrated and can pay attention to details. She found out the strange parts of the file. While she was copying documents from water board, she also found the keywords and the record she needed in all those piles of papers. She was also willing to collect frog corpse and polluted water for the case, not afraid of the health risk or the patrols, which shows that she was not only concentrated, but also willing to take action.
Third, her connection and care to people did help her a lot. She can feel the sorrow of the residents as if it happened to herself. This is why the residents are willing to talk and cooperate with her. The enthusiasm also helped her a lot during debates with Ed, other lawyers or PG&E, her emotion always gave power to what she wanted to express.
Why are Erin and Ed Masrey well-suited for each other?
Ed has his professional knowledge of the law. This would help them make decisions and strategies during the lawsuit. He is the intellect in this movie while Erin is the emotional, passion one. She was the one who insist on undergoing this lawsuit because she was not considering the benefits she or the law office could get, but the residents’ benefits. This lawsuit was really tough, if only considering from the intellectual level, they wouldn’t have made it to the end. It was Erin who kept this case working and progressing.
Also, Ed didn’t know how to get close to his clients. There was a scene when the residents asked them to stay and have some dessert after a discussion. Ed thought since the works were all done, they could just leave, but Erin stopped him. They ended up staying, eating and chatting. Of course they may not be talking about the trial or evidence, but this is also really crucial for the case. They should build relationships with their clients to keep them cooperating. Ed wouldn’t pay attention to this part because he only considered the professional aspect. It was Erin who helped him. Also due to Erin’s connection with the residents, they got to obtain many evidence because the residents trusted Erin instead of all the other professions.
Write a setup/opinion of ERIN BROCKOVICH.
Erin’s success is an encouragement to the audience. People would have the courage to do the right things, and try to change their lives. However, I think Erin couldn’t have made it without George and her kids. At the earlier stage of her career, she could work hard because George helped her taking care of her children without being paid. She didn’t need to worry about the extra cost. Also, George was such a decent man that she didn’t need to worry about her children not getting along with George. When the kids were babysit by another lady, she was worrying about the lady not paying enough attention, but when George was doing the job, she could focus on her job. Also, her kids were really thoughtfull. Though they were sometimes upset with their mom not being around, they didn’t do anything rebellious. For Erin, this really saved a lot of trouble. At the end, her son Mathew even volunteered to buy breakfast for his mom because he realized the importance of his mom’s job. He started to sympathize the victims just like his mother. To conclude, although Erin was really impressive, I think part of her success was attributed to George and her kids. This tells us we should be grateful for what we achieve because the success often gives credits to many people.
Huan
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Re: ERIN BROCKOVICH (Mike)
by Junyilyu » Thu Jul 30, 2015 4:53 pm
Hi Mike!
Erin Brockovich is an inspiring law movie. Sometimes abundant law knowledge and a law degree are not the most important advantages to help disadvantaged group, a considerate attitude is. Also, in a benign judiciary environment, it will be easier for lawyers to collect evidence. Law should not only be just, but also be humane and caring for people, especially the disadvantaged group.
Erin Brockovich is a great feminism movie as well. At the beginning, the heroine, Erin, is in bad luck. Life can be really hard for a single mother with three children, and becomes even harder after the car accident. However, Erin does not give up. She has a great capability of resilience. I remember a line in the movie Legally Blonde: Law is reason free from passion. Yet Erin is a passionate woman, devoting herself in the career of helping people. Ed, on the contrary, is more rational. He uses his knowledge and experience to guide Erin. Although she does not have a law degree, she has great communication skills and similar background with those sick people. Therefore, Ed with a law degree but very different background from sick people, is an ideal partner and mentor to Erin.
It is difficult for a woman to keep balance between taking care of family and concentrating on working at the same time. Erin meet a problem with that. George, a nice man who is good at looking after kids, helps Erin a lot. But he has trouble understanding Erin's work, thinking she has wasted her time with kids and missed valuable moments in her kids' lives. However, in the end, Erin makes George believe that her work is important, and what she has done is nothing but for her children. Women are no longer considered to be housewives only these days. Of course they should be given opportunities to show their abilities during working.
This movie also reminds the audience of being uncompromising when facing evil and unfair things. Even though the pressure may come from a giant and powerful entity, as long as that our goal is right, we should be determined and the persistence will pay off. As the theme song of this movie goes, "Life is a winding road", and we, we never give up.
Junyi Lyu (Lyra)
Erin Brockovich is an inspiring law movie. Sometimes abundant law knowledge and a law degree are not the most important advantages to help disadvantaged group, a considerate attitude is. Also, in a benign judiciary environment, it will be easier for lawyers to collect evidence. Law should not only be just, but also be humane and caring for people, especially the disadvantaged group.
Erin Brockovich is a great feminism movie as well. At the beginning, the heroine, Erin, is in bad luck. Life can be really hard for a single mother with three children, and becomes even harder after the car accident. However, Erin does not give up. She has a great capability of resilience. I remember a line in the movie Legally Blonde: Law is reason free from passion. Yet Erin is a passionate woman, devoting herself in the career of helping people. Ed, on the contrary, is more rational. He uses his knowledge and experience to guide Erin. Although she does not have a law degree, she has great communication skills and similar background with those sick people. Therefore, Ed with a law degree but very different background from sick people, is an ideal partner and mentor to Erin.
It is difficult for a woman to keep balance between taking care of family and concentrating on working at the same time. Erin meet a problem with that. George, a nice man who is good at looking after kids, helps Erin a lot. But he has trouble understanding Erin's work, thinking she has wasted her time with kids and missed valuable moments in her kids' lives. However, in the end, Erin makes George believe that her work is important, and what she has done is nothing but for her children. Women are no longer considered to be housewives only these days. Of course they should be given opportunities to show their abilities during working.
This movie also reminds the audience of being uncompromising when facing evil and unfair things. Even though the pressure may come from a giant and powerful entity, as long as that our goal is right, we should be determined and the persistence will pay off. As the theme song of this movie goes, "Life is a winding road", and we, we never give up.
Junyi Lyu (Lyra)
- Junyilyu
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- Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 11:55 am
Re: ERIN BROCKOVICH (Mike)
by ClaireL » Thu Jul 30, 2015 6:07 pm
Hi, Mike!
When you introduced this movie to us, I thought it was kind of a Hollywood cliche. A single mum, who seems to be a loser at the beginning, saves many people’s lives without any professional skills but her passion and persistence. I have watched numerous movies in the same theme. However, as the movie goes, I get attracted to both the story and the characters.
Erin, a single mother who has the F word in almost every sentence she says, and Ed, an old gentleman who suffers a lot from Erin’s short temper but is still very nice to her, make the best partners. They seem to fight about everything. Erin is always straight forward while Ed is more sophisticated. When something happens, Erin tends to make some direct reactions without thinking while Ed will consider about the outcomes and side affects. But they have one important thing in common, which is that they care about other people sincerely. Their case against PG&E wouldn’t succeed without either Erin’s passion and persistence or Ed’s professional knowledge and cautiousness.
The most impressive scene for me is the one that George and Erin have an argument about her job. George has got enough of Erin’s ignorance and asks her to quit her job. Erin, of course, refuses. One thing I hasn’t expected is that the reason she refuses to quit the job is not because hundreds of people are waiting for her help, which would be a very common reason for heroes. I don’t remember the exact words she says, but it’s about being respected by others and being able to control her own life. I’m not familiar with women’s social status in the US, but in China, if a female focuses too much on her career which causes some extent of ignorance of her child or husband, people will blame her for not being a good mother or a good wife. While if a male does so, people will say that it’s men’s nature to concentrate on their jobs. It feels like that the only reason of a woman’s life is to take care of her family, which is so outdated and unfair. Just like Erin, women have the right to feel good about themselves, to choose and control their own lives, to pursue their careers and to earn respects by their works.
Claire
When you introduced this movie to us, I thought it was kind of a Hollywood cliche. A single mum, who seems to be a loser at the beginning, saves many people’s lives without any professional skills but her passion and persistence. I have watched numerous movies in the same theme. However, as the movie goes, I get attracted to both the story and the characters.
Erin, a single mother who has the F word in almost every sentence she says, and Ed, an old gentleman who suffers a lot from Erin’s short temper but is still very nice to her, make the best partners. They seem to fight about everything. Erin is always straight forward while Ed is more sophisticated. When something happens, Erin tends to make some direct reactions without thinking while Ed will consider about the outcomes and side affects. But they have one important thing in common, which is that they care about other people sincerely. Their case against PG&E wouldn’t succeed without either Erin’s passion and persistence or Ed’s professional knowledge and cautiousness.
The most impressive scene for me is the one that George and Erin have an argument about her job. George has got enough of Erin’s ignorance and asks her to quit her job. Erin, of course, refuses. One thing I hasn’t expected is that the reason she refuses to quit the job is not because hundreds of people are waiting for her help, which would be a very common reason for heroes. I don’t remember the exact words she says, but it’s about being respected by others and being able to control her own life. I’m not familiar with women’s social status in the US, but in China, if a female focuses too much on her career which causes some extent of ignorance of her child or husband, people will blame her for not being a good mother or a good wife. While if a male does so, people will say that it’s men’s nature to concentrate on their jobs. It feels like that the only reason of a woman’s life is to take care of her family, which is so outdated and unfair. Just like Erin, women have the right to feel good about themselves, to choose and control their own lives, to pursue their careers and to earn respects by their works.
Claire
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Re: ERIN BROCKOVICH (Mike)
by 1993iris » Thu Jul 30, 2015 7:08 pm
Hi, Mike!
ERIN BROCKOVICH is a great movie which tells us an exciting and successful life journey of Erin. At the very beginning, Erin had no marketable skills so that she couldn't even find a job to support her family. She got less than $100 in her bank account and was in big debt because of the car accident. She couldn't even afford day care. After she did find a job, all her coworkers, including her boss Ed, looked down upon her. They regarded her as people who didn't do their jobs and would disappear for days to have fun. Ed fired her when she went to investigate the PG&E case. However, after Ed knew what Erin did during her leave, he started to take her seriously. Her life started to change at this very point. During the investigation of this case, she went to the victims' house door to door. She really cared about these people and even remembered the phone number of each family and the symptom of each sick person. Every coin has two sides. Because she spent so much time on the case, she didn't have the chance to stay at home and keep her children company. Her boyfriend helped her on this. Experiencing all these setbacks, she and Ed finally won the law suits and worked together in Ed's bigger law firm.
During the journey, two of Erin's merits helped her most: persistence and caring attitude. She never gave up even facing so much setbacks. When some residents didn't cooperate with her, when PG&E threatened her, when George left her, when her children didn't understand her, she never gave up. There was a time when Ed wanted to give up on this case, it's Erin's persistence making Ed keep the lawsuit. Also, because Erin really cared the residents' lives and diseases, she earned their trust and made the cooperation much easier. Just because she cared about the well-being of people, she discovered the problem at the first place. Ed and Erin were suitable for each other in nature. They couldn't finish this job without each other. Ed provided professional suggestion on this case while Erin investigated with residents and convinced them to trust Ed. People tended to talk with Erin more since she cared and was not as clod-blooded as these professionals.
Siying Li (Iris)
ERIN BROCKOVICH is a great movie which tells us an exciting and successful life journey of Erin. At the very beginning, Erin had no marketable skills so that she couldn't even find a job to support her family. She got less than $100 in her bank account and was in big debt because of the car accident. She couldn't even afford day care. After she did find a job, all her coworkers, including her boss Ed, looked down upon her. They regarded her as people who didn't do their jobs and would disappear for days to have fun. Ed fired her when she went to investigate the PG&E case. However, after Ed knew what Erin did during her leave, he started to take her seriously. Her life started to change at this very point. During the investigation of this case, she went to the victims' house door to door. She really cared about these people and even remembered the phone number of each family and the symptom of each sick person. Every coin has two sides. Because she spent so much time on the case, she didn't have the chance to stay at home and keep her children company. Her boyfriend helped her on this. Experiencing all these setbacks, she and Ed finally won the law suits and worked together in Ed's bigger law firm.
During the journey, two of Erin's merits helped her most: persistence and caring attitude. She never gave up even facing so much setbacks. When some residents didn't cooperate with her, when PG&E threatened her, when George left her, when her children didn't understand her, she never gave up. There was a time when Ed wanted to give up on this case, it's Erin's persistence making Ed keep the lawsuit. Also, because Erin really cared the residents' lives and diseases, she earned their trust and made the cooperation much easier. Just because she cared about the well-being of people, she discovered the problem at the first place. Ed and Erin were suitable for each other in nature. They couldn't finish this job without each other. Ed provided professional suggestion on this case while Erin investigated with residents and convinced them to trust Ed. People tended to talk with Erin more since she cared and was not as clod-blooded as these professionals.
Siying Li (Iris)
- 1993iris
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Re: ERIN BROCKOVICH (Mike)
by xyweng » Fri Jul 31, 2015 9:32 pm
Hi, this is Sylvie (Xiaoyu Weng).
Divorced twice, unemployed, three children, got hit by a car, lost the case and broke, it seems like Erin’s life has hit the bottom. As she got involved in the PG&E case, her financial situation was better, she met an important man of her life, her kids started to understand her, she even got a promotion and a large fortune at the end of the story. More importantly, by fighting against a tycoon, helping these hundreds of victims and saving more people’s lives, this might be the first time she felt she could do something meaningful to the world, the first time she found her self-value. As our teacher Mike mentioned, this movie can be described as a “hero journey”. By “hero”, on the one hand, it means the heroic feat of pursuing justice. On the other hand, it means a woman got her greatest achievement in her life, that is, finding her real enthusiasm and life goal, which makes her the hero of her own.
Also, I’d like to share some information with you. I used to be a law school student so this legendary PG&E case really intrigued me. As I was looking up some details, I found an article published in 2011 saying that PG&E case might be a miscarriage of justice since evidence showed the real number of cancer sufferers in Hinkley was lower than estimated number according to statistics. If you are interested in the truth behind this case, maybe you can start your own “hero journey”.
Teacher's note: Very interesting that this author did a little digging around for her own evidence. As is usually the case with Hollywood stories, the true version never has quite the glow as the glossed over version although the essential facts may be true. If you were to look up the real Erin Brockovich, you would find that her life is a lot more down-to-earth and imperfect than the Hollywood version. But just as with all great story telling, a movie tells us the story we want to hear. Thanks for a great post.
--mike
http://www.moviesgrowenglish.com 
Divorced twice, unemployed, three children, got hit by a car, lost the case and broke, it seems like Erin’s life has hit the bottom. As she got involved in the PG&E case, her financial situation was better, she met an important man of her life, her kids started to understand her, she even got a promotion and a large fortune at the end of the story. More importantly, by fighting against a tycoon, helping these hundreds of victims and saving more people’s lives, this might be the first time she felt she could do something meaningful to the world, the first time she found her self-value. As our teacher Mike mentioned, this movie can be described as a “hero journey”. By “hero”, on the one hand, it means the heroic feat of pursuing justice. On the other hand, it means a woman got her greatest achievement in her life, that is, finding her real enthusiasm and life goal, which makes her the hero of her own.
Also, I’d like to share some information with you. I used to be a law school student so this legendary PG&E case really intrigued me. As I was looking up some details, I found an article published in 2011 saying that PG&E case might be a miscarriage of justice since evidence showed the real number of cancer sufferers in Hinkley was lower than estimated number according to statistics. If you are interested in the truth behind this case, maybe you can start your own “hero journey”.
Teacher's note: Very interesting that this author did a little digging around for her own evidence. As is usually the case with Hollywood stories, the true version never has quite the glow as the glossed over version although the essential facts may be true. If you were to look up the real Erin Brockovich, you would find that her life is a lot more down-to-earth and imperfect than the Hollywood version. But just as with all great story telling, a movie tells us the story we want to hear. Thanks for a great post.
--mike
http://www.moviesgrowenglish.com - xyweng
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Re: ERIN BROCKOVICH (Mike)
by chenyuer1118 » Sat Aug 01, 2015 11:23 am
Hello!
I think Erin Brockovich is also a film about "journey". I like this film very much. In my opinion, Erin's life changed suddenly. There are several different factors that leads to this sudden change and I do believe that the most important one is that she's not giving up on doing anything. Even when she is broke she still has faith in living a good life. And it is because of this trait of personality that makes her finnaly win in the lawsuit. I would describe Erin as a woman with "big heart". She is tough and strong that she would definitely overcome every difficulties she faces. And just because of her persistant and not giving up is enough to give her a more successful life.
I think Erin and Ed is a perfect partner within a lawyer office. Lawyer is commonly perceived to be decent, serious, and strict, which is exactly how Ed is look like. However, sometimes for some lawsuits, you do need persistant "big heart" and passionate. And that is what Erin could offer. The scene that is most impressive to me is the one which Erin said "Fuck you back". If without Erin's persistant on finding out the truth about PG&E, they would never win the lawsuit. And of course, without Ed's professional knowledge about law and help, it is still hard to win the case. That's why I would describe them as the best partner within a lawyer office.
When I was watching this film, I was thinking what would it be life if the stroy happened in my country. And my answer is that the result could never be this good for sure. Erin Brockovich is a very typcal American and Hollywood film because this kind of story can only happen in the States. The ending is happy, although probably a little bit ideal. But the kind of spirit delivered through the film is real and that is not giving up for all the time.
Thanks!
YUER CHEN
I think Erin Brockovich is also a film about "journey". I like this film very much. In my opinion, Erin's life changed suddenly. There are several different factors that leads to this sudden change and I do believe that the most important one is that she's not giving up on doing anything. Even when she is broke she still has faith in living a good life. And it is because of this trait of personality that makes her finnaly win in the lawsuit. I would describe Erin as a woman with "big heart". She is tough and strong that she would definitely overcome every difficulties she faces. And just because of her persistant and not giving up is enough to give her a more successful life.
I think Erin and Ed is a perfect partner within a lawyer office. Lawyer is commonly perceived to be decent, serious, and strict, which is exactly how Ed is look like. However, sometimes for some lawsuits, you do need persistant "big heart" and passionate. And that is what Erin could offer. The scene that is most impressive to me is the one which Erin said "Fuck you back". If without Erin's persistant on finding out the truth about PG&E, they would never win the lawsuit. And of course, without Ed's professional knowledge about law and help, it is still hard to win the case. That's why I would describe them as the best partner within a lawyer office.
When I was watching this film, I was thinking what would it be life if the stroy happened in my country. And my answer is that the result could never be this good for sure. Erin Brockovich is a very typcal American and Hollywood film because this kind of story can only happen in the States. The ending is happy, although probably a little bit ideal. But the kind of spirit delivered through the film is real and that is not giving up for all the time.
Thanks!
YUER CHEN
- chenyuer1118
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 11:52 am
Re: ERIN BROCKOVICH (Mike)
by zhang » Sat Aug 01, 2015 7:50 pm
As a female, I ask myself what would I do if I were living a life like hers. Would I speak out those so-called bad languages without feeling regretful or guilty even though I am really angry and have said them a thousand times in my mind? Would I fight for a job and still not fawn on anyone? Would I insist on my career at the risk of losing the loved man? When I thought of the old glory, would I be honest to myself that there was a dream once inflamed in me? Am I just another version of the young female lawyer in the movie? In an attempt to answer those questions, I admire her more and more desire exploring myself.
Erin teaches me a lot. The first thing is to stay real. Life is full of ups and downs, and no matter which stage Erin is experiencing, she is always real and sincere to herself - speaking like Erin, dressing up like Erin, behaving like Erin, persisting like Erin. She never tries being someone else and never feels ashamed about being herself. Besides, she does not perform herself as a hero or saint. When George asked her why she would not quit her job, Erin did not claim that she wanted to save other people’s lives, at least not as her primary reason, which was beyond my expectation. Instead, what she said was that she had never been respected as now. I think she disclosed a common truth which people are reluctant to admit. Erin is also a realist in life. Responding to George’s request for her number, Erin didn’t sink to the imagination of a romantic relationship with a hot guy. Erin said a series of numbers, all of which are based on facts.
She also lets me recognize that your life ultimately belongs to you, that to some degree is to live for yourself. When her son complained, she did not give up; when George was about to leave, she did not yield in. It may look unreasonable or selfish but thinking it over, we will find, Erin didn’t hurt anyone and she gives adequate freedom to other people to make their own choices. Actually it could be risky to live for oneself because it means to be extraordinary independent and strong. And Erin does pay the price for living for herself, for example, she missed the moment when her baby girl spoke out the first word, which was “ball”.
The story of Erin also tells me how important it is to meet the right person. Ed is good at his law field with various necessary resources and essentially warm-hearted. Although sometimes Ed is mundane and indecisive, that is what makes Erin a perfect partner for him. And George, a real gentleman, gives the biggest support and understanding to Erin. Erin has had three husbands and countless interviews. However, it is Ed and George that give her the patience and trust.
To value and cherish the real important things in life. Erin Brockovich is definitely imperfect and even not everyone likes her, but Erin lives her own life, considering many people are living an ideal life in other’s opinion, Erin is a real winner.
Erin teaches me a lot. The first thing is to stay real. Life is full of ups and downs, and no matter which stage Erin is experiencing, she is always real and sincere to herself - speaking like Erin, dressing up like Erin, behaving like Erin, persisting like Erin. She never tries being someone else and never feels ashamed about being herself. Besides, she does not perform herself as a hero or saint. When George asked her why she would not quit her job, Erin did not claim that she wanted to save other people’s lives, at least not as her primary reason, which was beyond my expectation. Instead, what she said was that she had never been respected as now. I think she disclosed a common truth which people are reluctant to admit. Erin is also a realist in life. Responding to George’s request for her number, Erin didn’t sink to the imagination of a romantic relationship with a hot guy. Erin said a series of numbers, all of which are based on facts.
She also lets me recognize that your life ultimately belongs to you, that to some degree is to live for yourself. When her son complained, she did not give up; when George was about to leave, she did not yield in. It may look unreasonable or selfish but thinking it over, we will find, Erin didn’t hurt anyone and she gives adequate freedom to other people to make their own choices. Actually it could be risky to live for oneself because it means to be extraordinary independent and strong. And Erin does pay the price for living for herself, for example, she missed the moment when her baby girl spoke out the first word, which was “ball”.
The story of Erin also tells me how important it is to meet the right person. Ed is good at his law field with various necessary resources and essentially warm-hearted. Although sometimes Ed is mundane and indecisive, that is what makes Erin a perfect partner for him. And George, a real gentleman, gives the biggest support and understanding to Erin. Erin has had three husbands and countless interviews. However, it is Ed and George that give her the patience and trust.
To value and cherish the real important things in life. Erin Brockovich is definitely imperfect and even not everyone likes her, but Erin lives her own life, considering many people are living an ideal life in other’s opinion, Erin is a real winner.
- zhang
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2015 11:52 am
Re: ERIN BROCKOVICH (Mike)
by JackieDu » Sat Aug 01, 2015 8:54 pm
Erin's life has been changed significantly in many good ways. She finally found her place in the world, transforming herself from "nobody" to "somebody"! At the beginning, she was considered as a "loser" in the society. No money, no job, divorced, and denied... Life could not be worse than that! Meeting Ed was the great turning point of her life. Since then, everything started to change. At the end of story, she succeeded in the PG&E case, and that brought her big amount of money, reputation and new business. Most important, she got George, a really good guy, who loves her and treats her kids very well. Throughout all the difficulties and challenges, she has finally got all she wanted, and made her life meaningful and respectful.
This is a very uplifting story, not dark at all! I can feel the sunshine from every aspect of the story. Actually, Erin's characteristics have not changed that much from beginning to end, she just insisted her own way, and refused to compromise or make changes for the sake of others' judgement. Firstly, she was amazingly confident. No matter how awkward was her situation, she was never afraid of saying what she wants to say, doing what she wants to do, and dressing whatever she likes. Not many people can do that. Secondly, she was extremely determined and devoted to what she decided to do. She put unbelievable efforts in the case, worked day and night,down to the earth, never let go in front of all the obstacles. Her determination and sincerity was the key to final success, because in that way, she moved and convinced all the suffered residents, impressed her partner and boss and even changed her lover's mind. Thirdly, she was a really smart woman! She can remember all the details including phone numbers and address of her hundreds of clients, and she spoke really fast with both strong emotions and sharp logic. She was never a "flower vase", she had been just undervalued before. Last but not least, she was sympathetic and authentic. She would never say any some ambiguous or sophisticated words, instead she always jumped directly to the point. When she said " because I am not a lawyer", I believe she meant "I am a normal and sincere person, who is willing to understand and help you!"
I really like the movie, although sometimes I feel it's too good to be true, or it's too hollywood. Yes it's based on a true story, but I believe the story itself must be tougher and darker, without so many "black and white". The screenwriters wrote the story in their preferred encouraging way, and that is good! Never give up, be yourself bravely, something good will happen eventually, you can make difference...There are the positive messages the story delivered to us, especially to the modern independent women. Forgot to mention, in China, the name of the movie was translated into "Never give up", HA! During movie watch, I couldn't help thinking from time to time: "If I were her, what would I do? Would I make the same choices? Could I prevent myself from collapsing when the whole world is denying me?" I really don't know. That's why I ADMIRE Erin Brockovich.
This is a very uplifting story, not dark at all! I can feel the sunshine from every aspect of the story. Actually, Erin's characteristics have not changed that much from beginning to end, she just insisted her own way, and refused to compromise or make changes for the sake of others' judgement. Firstly, she was amazingly confident. No matter how awkward was her situation, she was never afraid of saying what she wants to say, doing what she wants to do, and dressing whatever she likes. Not many people can do that. Secondly, she was extremely determined and devoted to what she decided to do. She put unbelievable efforts in the case, worked day and night,down to the earth, never let go in front of all the obstacles. Her determination and sincerity was the key to final success, because in that way, she moved and convinced all the suffered residents, impressed her partner and boss and even changed her lover's mind. Thirdly, she was a really smart woman! She can remember all the details including phone numbers and address of her hundreds of clients, and she spoke really fast with both strong emotions and sharp logic. She was never a "flower vase", she had been just undervalued before. Last but not least, she was sympathetic and authentic. She would never say any some ambiguous or sophisticated words, instead she always jumped directly to the point. When she said " because I am not a lawyer", I believe she meant "I am a normal and sincere person, who is willing to understand and help you!"
I really like the movie, although sometimes I feel it's too good to be true, or it's too hollywood. Yes it's based on a true story, but I believe the story itself must be tougher and darker, without so many "black and white". The screenwriters wrote the story in their preferred encouraging way, and that is good! Never give up, be yourself bravely, something good will happen eventually, you can make difference...There are the positive messages the story delivered to us, especially to the modern independent women. Forgot to mention, in China, the name of the movie was translated into "Never give up", HA! During movie watch, I couldn't help thinking from time to time: "If I were her, what would I do? Would I make the same choices? Could I prevent myself from collapsing when the whole world is denying me?" I really don't know. That's why I ADMIRE Erin Brockovich.
- JackieDu
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 11:55 am
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