Leave it to independent film guru Steven Soderbergh (Sex Lies and Videotape, Kafka, and Out of Sight) to showcase what may be the best performance of Julia Roberts' career. In this true story, Roberts plays the title role, a single mother struggling to find work to support her three children. She gets her chance when she takes a job as a legal clerk at a small law firm. While there, she finds herself drawn to a case involving a town where residents become ill due to contaminated water.

This is a simple story reminiscent of weaker films such as The Rainmaker and A Civil Action. Erin Brockovich soars thanks to Julia Roberts, who plays an abrasive, yet driven woman who seems to gain everyone's affection as the film moves along. Also spectacular are Albert Finney as Brockovich's boss, Aaron Eckhart (In the Company of Men) completely likable as the love interest, and Marg Helgenberger (Species) heartbreakingly sympathetic as one of the unfortunate residents of the affected town.

Holding it all together is Soderbergh, who manages to transcend the pretentious and make Erin Brockovich not only a wonderful "underdog" story, but a terrific character study as well.