Week Five Blog
So I’ve been meaning to watch the Erin Brockovich movie ever since it came out but just never got around to doing it. I finally watched the movie tonight, and I must say it was an excellent movie to watch. There were a few ideas that we have read in the text that showed up in the movie. I think one chapter that stuck out in my mind as I watched the movie was Chapter Three. Loeb writes about the power of conviction that occurs when citizens take a stand for their beliefs. In the movie, Erin faced several deterrents that could have stopped her from reaching her ultimate goal. Family issues, threatening phone calls, lack of respect and knowledge, etc. were all issues that she encountered as she tried to make a positive change. She found within herself the conviction necessary to make sure she kept the promises that she made to each of the clients she was working with.
I think that in the movie you see Erin go through a growth as she learns and matures. While Erin never really changes who she is as a person, she begins to learn and understand more overtime. She commits herself to doing the necessary background research in order for her to understand what was going. I was impressed that instead of simply ignoring the inconsistencies of having medical and real estate files together, she did more background research and looked into what was going on. She went to the university and found a professor who could explain to her the information she found. She went to the factory site and gathered evidence to prove her points. I feel that many times we don’t want to the dirty grunt work necessary in order to even begin tackling the major problems.
I also really respected Erin’s commitment not only to making a difference but to her clients as well. She went to each of their houses and got to know them personally. She knew their stories. She met their families and developed relationships with each of them. It was not just about the money. She wanted to make a difference in these individuals’ lives because they deserved the opportunity to live a better life than the one they were currently enduring. Even when she was sick, she went in to the office to work because one of the client’s husbands called her. I think that amount of dedication not just to the theory or a cause but to the individuals being affected is astounding. Sometimes I feel that we get so overwhelmed with the bigger picture that we forgot about the individuals who are being affected by our actions.
I thought that the movie was inspiring. I feel that Erin is a regular individual like me. Sometimes movies have a way of making these heroes seem smarter, better, more mature, more focused, etc. than regular everyday individuals. I felt that the movie did a great job in keeping Erin a regular down-to-earth person who makes mistakes. I thought it was great that we got to see how her job had an effect on her children and relationship with George. It helped me to realize that everyone faces issues such as those while trying to bring about change. I can truly say that this movie really opened my eyes.
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